A Distracting Change
by SweetChi
Summary: When Kyuzo leaves for his scouting mission, he's a little distracted. This leads to some decisions he normally wouldn't make, changing the course of things to come. Diversion after episode 14. Kambei/Kyuzo
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** The starting point of this fic is directly at the beginning of episode 15 (The Gun and the Calm). I'm going to explore what may have happened had Kyuzo been a little distracted on his scouting mission and the changes that would happen because of it.

**Warnings: **This fic will earn its M rating - language and graphic content ahead. You've been warned.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, am making no money from this, and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**A Distracting Change**

**Chapter 1**

Kyuzo felt that the assault on the airship had gone reasonably well. He wished they'd been able to take out more of their opponents before having to retreat, but such was always the case when any were left alive. Standing on the rock face, waiting for the priestess and the amateur to join the rest of them, he closed his eyes and reveled in the cool mist brushing his face and the smell of smoke in the air. While this was infinitely more interesting than being Ayamaro's bodyguard, he still wasn't really sure why he was here. He did know that his presence here had nothing to do with saving farmers and everything to do with Kambei. Why or what exactly that meant, he wasn't sure.

Glancing impassively at the older samurai, he watched him offer a helping hand to Kirara. He was about to turn away when the way she was looking at Kambei caught his attention - a light blush staining her cheeks, eyes shifting demurely down. Something twisted inside of him and he looked away quickly, keeping his face blank even as he internally balked at this unknown feeling. Why should he care what the farm girl felt for Kambei? The answer struggled up from the dark unused depths within him, but he brutally pushed it back down.

Thankfully, the low whir of approaching machinery provided the perfect distraction from his thoughts and he gladly lost himself in the familiarity of battle and the comforting scent of oil and blood. It was over far to quickly in his opinion. The sudden sharp ping of a bullet ricocheting off Kikuchiyo echoed through the canyon, making him regret his earlier wish for more opponents.

"A sniper!" Katsushiro shouted needlessly.

Kyuzo could hear Gorobei and Shichiroji discussing this new development behind him but the fact that Kambei had a protective hand on Kirara was taking up all his focus. What was this? It bothered him to see Kambei's hand on her. It bothered him a lot. He kept his eyes straight ahead, but could still see the two of them from the corner of his eye.

"We send out a scout," Kambei's low calm voice brought him out of his frustrated musings.

Kikuchiyo offered to go first but was denied, soon followed by Katsushiro's declaration that he could "take care of it". Kyuzo very nearly snorted at the idea of the boy on such delicate mission. His tendency to scream like a maniac when he attacked was definitely not a quirk that would be advantageous in a stealth mission.

"You will die," he said bluntly.

This was the perfect opportunity; he needed something important enough to keep his thoughts from Kambei and these confusing new feelings, losing himself in the familiarity of war provided exactly that. Kambei's heavy gaze weighed on him as he stood, duel blades in hand. Forcing himself to meet the older samurai's eyes, he was surprised to see concern. He smirked cockily, amused by the fact that Kambei would worry over him.

_How absurd…_

This type of work was what he excelled at. His slim light body enabled him to move quickly and silently among the enemy. It was his specialty in the Great War. In fact, given the amount of espionage missions he'd undertaken and his exceedingly young age at the time, it truly was a wonder he'd made it out of the war alive.

As he bounded down the cliff face, dodging bullets, it never occurred to him Kambei may be worried because he cared, not because he doubted his abilities.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Kambei watched the slight figure of Kyuzo disappear into the fog. A tight feeling in his chest.

"Don't worry, he'll be back."

He hadn't really meant to say those words aloud, they'd just been so loud in his mind they'd come out. Ticking his eyes to Kirara, he hoped to give the impression his words were meant to comfort her instead of himself. He continued, both to cover his slip and in an attempt to convince himself of the blond samurai's return.

"He still has a score to settle with me."

A score indeed. There was more than the promise of a future battle brewing between the two warriors and Kambei meant to have it all out in the open before either of them found death.

While his declaration of "love" when they'd first faced off had been purely a manipulation in the heat of battle, he had definitely been attracted to the red clad samurai. And that attraction had only grown. The more time he spent around Kyuzo the more fascinated he became. He wanted him then and he wanted him even more now. His skill with his blades, the way he moved, how he said only what needed to be and nothing more, the way those crimson eyes took in every detail in a single disinterested glance. All of these things and a hundred more made Kyuzo an irresistible temptation for Kambei.

Now, as he stared at the place Kyuzo had disappeared from, the smell of sweat, smoke and gunpowder floating through the air, he felt fear. Fear that he'd never get to unravel that puzzle. Never get to-

He shook his head. This was not the time.

"The smoke and mist will be his allies."

With those parting words of hope he turned away from the foggy canyon in front of him and concentrated on leading the others back to the village.


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note: **Sorry for the short chapter. While I'm still somewhat going with the canon events on Kambei's end, I'm limited with what I can do with him. Plus I don't want to bore you with explaining scenes you already know. I'm also trying to keep Kambei's POV and Kyuzo's on the same timeline right now.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 2**

Kambei was trying to focus on the job at hand, which was currently explaining to a bunch of panicky farmers why the war was not yet over, but his thoughts kept wandering back to the blond samurai who would probably be making his way into the enemy camp shortly. The late afternoon air carried a hint of a chill with it and he felt an odd foreboding. His chest tightened in worry, but he forced away the sudden uneasiness. He had much to do here, he'd just have to trust Kyuzo to take care of himself.

Deciding not to think on it any more, he pushed the blond to the back of his mind. It wouldn't do to be less than attentive while meeting with the priestess, the elder and Rikichi to discuss the matter of Sanae and the Capital. It seemed there was still quite a bit of work to do even after this coming battle was finished.

_The Capital, huh? This could get interesting…_

There was no use in thinking about that now though. It was better to focus on one battle at a time. The upcoming fight would be a tough one and he needed the villagers in high spirits when it started. Seeing as they'd already won against their opponents once, that shouldn't be hard. He told the elder to have them break out the hidden rice, because the Nobuseri would not be taking anything else from them. With the issue of morale taken care of and a tentative path for after the battle in mind, he bid the others a good evening.

As he left the hut, he felt the water priestesses eyes on him and suppressed a tired sigh. This was an unwanted complication. He respected the girl greatly and was even fond of her, but he was in no way attracted to her. Someone like her could never understand a man like him. There could never be any kind of real connection. Maybe she felt she could heal him, the broken warrior, but he was too old now for such childish notions. Only someone who'd lived and breathed death as he had could ever truly understand what he was. Kyuzo's smirking face appeared in his mind and he felt a warm thrill race through him.

Tilting his head back, he let the last of the fading light wash over him and indulged himself for a moment with the image of half-lidded crimson eyes and long lean limbs. Preferably writhing in ecstasy underneath him. A wicked smile flashed across his face.

As the sun disappeared over the horizon he came back to himself. He still had to check on the repairs to the villages defenses and make sure there were enough men for the nights guard duty. Not many would be needed and the shifts would be short, the enemy would be regrouping so there would be only a very slight chance of an attack that night. At least for them. The situation in the valley would be much different. A soldier lurking around an enemy camp almost promised violence. Kyuzo was a brilliant samurai, but Kambei still wasn't sure about his actions. At first he'd thought Kyuzo was cautious, that he weighed everything before he acted, eyes taking in every detail. But the more he witnessed him fighting the more he wondered if he was mistaken. Sometimes Kyuzo struck him as remarkably... reckless. He couldn't tell if Kyuzo just weighed risks against his skill extraordinarily quickly or if he just dove into battle headfirst and let his abilities carry him. Once again he felt the tingle of unease.

As he moved off toward the distant figure of Shichiroji directing a group of village men, he spared Kyuzo one last thought.

_Be safe._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kyuzo made his way steadily down the cliff, deeper into the protective fog but also closer to an unknown number of enemies. The sniper shots were slowing as the visibility became worse and the target became more difficult to spot. He had already ascertained the snipers whereabouts on the other side of the canyon - his quick mind calculating where the machine was, how likely it was to move and where it would go. Once it lost sight of him, it would probably head to the west, into the thicker fog in hopes that what was hindering it now would aid it later.

He mentally scoffed again at the image of Katsushiro on this mission. Why Kambei had allowed someone so inexperienced to join him, he'd yet to figure out. The same for Kikuchiyo, who seemed to cause more trouble than he prevented. Kyuzo never had had any patience for anything less than perfection though. It had been drilled into him as a child. He must have seen something in them that Kyuzo couldn't. Something only visible to someone like Kambei, with his odd mix of veteran warrior and idealist. Although Kyuzo couldn't understand it, he did admire it. Kambei had an understanding of people that Kyuzo never had and never would. The only thing he truly knew the heart of was blood and death.

He narrowed his eyes with the realization that Kambei had once again managed to worm his way into his thoughts. Skipping to the left, he instinctively found a foothold on the steep terrain as he wondered what it was about that man that proved so distracting.

A shot slammed into the rock right next to him, jerking his attention back to the present and crumbling the part of the wall he'd just landed on. Cursing his lapse in attention, he scrambled for purchase but there was too much damage. As he felt weightlessness carry him down into the waiting fog, he only had time for one irritated thought.

_Damn you, Shimada Kambei…_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Kyuzo opened his eyes, blinking stupidly when the darkness didn't recede. He could feel the cool of the ground radiating into his back and the brush of mist across his face. Had he just fallen down the cliff?

That was… new.

He sat up slowly, feeling a little sore and stiff, but otherwise fine. It was lucky that he'd already been so close to the bottom. Digging his sword into the cliff wall to stop his descent had been out of the question - he'd have been heard or sparks would have alerted the enemy. Instead, he'd forced his body into a limp freefall until the thicker fog completely enveloped him. With no knowledge of how far the ground was, he'd just had to hope he'd be able to roll with the impact with out taking too much damage. He'd been able to catch the end of a rocky ledge and slow his descent a bit at the cost of some skin on the fingers of his left hand, but it had been enough to keep him from breaking anything when he finally met with the ground.

He couldn't believe he'd let that Kambei distract him like that! Maybe he should just kill him when he got back and be done with it. _If _he got back, that is. With the way he'd just started things off, that was a big "if". Well, what was done was done. And the probability that the sniper had seen his fall could actually be beneficial. If he was thought to be dead, it would make it that much easier to sneak around.

Darkness had fallen completely in his brief bit of unconsciousness. Even as his eyes adjusted it was difficult to see much of anything, the fog was incredibly thick down here, blocking out any trace of moonlight. He smirked. All the better for him. With his ability to move silently and the chance of being seen next to nothing, this might just be _too _easy.

The first thing he needed to do was take out that sniper. He made his way through the fog, moving as quickly as he dared in such low visibility. It was oddly quiet - with his sharp hearing he should at least be able to hear _something_ of the remaining bandits. It wasn't possible for them to be silent, there was always that hum that accompanied their presence. Was the fog so thick it was dampening the sound? That could be problematic. Finding the exact location of the enemy camp and getting accurate numbers would difficult. This mission may take longer than he originally anticipated.

At least he was still fairly sure of the snipers location. He'd pretty much fallen straight down so his mental map should still be accurate. Reaching the far cliff wall, he started his ascent, moving quicker as the fog thinned. He spotted his target easily. It was a Raiden and it hadn't moved at all from where he judged it to be from the start. It must have thought Kyuzo was dead. Foolish. It was about to pay for that incompetence with its life.

He had to move as quickly and quietly as possible, there was no way of knowing how far the enemy camp was, but it had to be somewhere close by. He stayed crouched in the rocky outcropping and watched the Raiden, drawing his swords silently. It seemed to only be scanning the opposite wall, its large gun resting on a flat rock in front of it. Probably waiting to see if any more samurai would come down that it could pick off. He felt an odd pulse of anger at that thought.

His lip curled up at his own inability to stay focused. These past years in service to Maro had made him soft. The battlefield was no place for emotion of any kind. But was it really his years as a lowly bodyguard causing his lapse now? He didn't really recall feeling much of anything over the last 5 years but boredom. Kambei's gray gaze came to mind, that look that _seemed_ blank but really said _'I know something you don't know'_. His teeth clenched. How inappropriate for that man to be in his thoughts at a time like this!

He took some slow deep breaths, thinking of nothing but the blades in his hands and how to make the quickest quietest kill possible. After a full minute he made his move, leaping the distance between them in one powerful move. He landed the rock it had its gun rested on, slicing its arm cleanly through to prevent any shots from being fired while simultaneously jamming his other sword in its head. A low hiss of sparks was the only sound. He pulled his sword free slowly, careful not to topple the giant. A slow grinding had him jerking his head around to see the huge gun start to slide forward. Slamming his swords into the ground next to him, he dove for the gun, catching it just as it sent a handful of rocks tumbling to the valley floor. He stayed completely still, hunched in an uncomfortable position and holding the huge weapon, waiting for any sign from below that he'd been heard. Time ticked by and the strain of holding the large gun in such an awkward pose was wearing on him, but still he stayed motionless. Finally, when he felt enough time had passed to safely say he hadn't been discovered, he hauled the weapon back up and rested one end on the ground beside him, holding it up with one hand while considering his next move.

He didn't want to leave it behind for the other Nobuseri to use, but he couldn't exactly continue his scouting mission with it strapped to his back either. Looking back across the canyon he spotted an odd grouping of trees at the top and a ledge about a quarter of the way down the cliff wall directly below them. He could leave the weapon there while he found the enemy camp and then get it on his way back up. He pulled his swords free of the ground, sheathing one and clenching the other between his teeth, then hefted the gun over his shoulders and began his descent.

x-x-x-x-x-x

Kambei wearily made his way around the village, making one last inspection for the night. Despite the long day, the farmers had rallied and the work had been done quickly and efficiently. He just wanted to make sure that the guards were in place and that each samurai understood they were to get some rest that night. No arguments.

All the samurai but one, anyway.

Kambei let out a long sigh and rubbed his tired eyes. The worrisome thoughts on Kyuzo and his current mission had persisted through the evening and even now with the moon high, they continued.

"You OK there? Maybe you're getting to old for this?" The lightly teasing voice of his friend was a welcome relief from his darkening thoughts.

"Shichiroji, I distinctly remember telling you to get some rest."

"And I will. Just thought I'd take a walk and let my rice settle before bed. Last time I ate and went right to sleep I had dreams about Gorobei wearing the water priestess's clothes and serving tea to the Amanushi, who was apparently a giant turtle." Kambei laughed lightly at his friends disturbed look. "Way to dodge that question by the way. Been getting pointers from Gorobei?"

"On cross dressing and serving tea? No need, I am well enough skilled in those matters not to need any pointers."

Shichiroji let out a bark of laughter. "Great, there's a whole new set of nightmares for me."

A peaceful silence settled between them as they made their way toward Heihachi's post. The moon was almost full, lighting the woods and giving the mist that crept over the ground a soft glow. Kambei eyed the fog and wondered how the conditions in the canyon were. As he'd said before, mist and smoke would be Kyuzo's allies in his mission, but if it was too thick it could reduce sound to the distance of a few meters. He would almost be on top of the Nobuseri before-

"Why are you so worried about him?" Shichiroji's shrewd question cut off Kambei's line of thought. Was he really that transparent? Maybe he was getting too old for this…

Shichiroji suddenly laughed, "Its not that obvious. I just know you that well."

Kambei allowed himself a small smile at his old friend. He always had been able to read him like a book, it's part of why they were such a good team in the Great War.

"Scouting is a dangerous job. The loss of Kyuzo would greatly reduce our chances of winning this war," Kambei answered truthfully, yet not completely.

Shichiroji would not be fooled though and he eyed Kambei with a dark smirk. "Hmm, yes, it would. It would also 'greatly reduce' your chance of -"

"Hey guys!"

The arrival of Kikuchiyo interrupted whatever inappropriate comment Shichiroji was about to make, and for once, Kambei was grateful for his sense of timing. He knew he was being illogical. Kyuzo was the best suited for the mission. No doubt Shichiroji would have pointed this out and teased him unendingly about his unease and the possible reasons behind it.

But even after telling himself this over and over, the worry remained.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 4**

Kambei leaned against the wall outside the home the samurai were staying in, taking deep slow breaths. He'd only been asleep a few hours when a nightmare forced him back into consciousness. He couldn't even really remember much about it. Just fire, blood and screaming.

And blond hair.

His hands were shaking.

Dreams about friends he'd lost was something he was used to, that was bad enough. He'd rather not add nightmares of losing those that were still alive into the mix.

He could practically hear his grandmother going on about "bad omens" and smiled slightly in remembrance of the kind but superstitious old woman. A dream like this would have had her insisting on rituals involving very cold water, salt and forcing him to eat horrible things.

Maybe he's ask the water priestess to prepare some Firefly Gruel tomorrow just in case…

The soft sound of footsteps came from within the hut. Short and light - Heihachi. A moment later a messy head poked around the corner, peering at Kambei sleepily.

"Everything alright?"

"Yes, everything's fine. I'm sorry if I woke you."

Heihachi wandered over to the place next to Kambei, leaning against the wall and grinning up at him.

"Nah, I was already awake. A little restless, I guess."

They shared a moment of companionable silence, both staring out at the moonlit fields, before Heihachi asked in his rare serious tone, "Bad dreams?"

Kambei glanced at him from the corner of his eye and then looked back at the field. He heard Heihachi chuckle. "Yeah, didn't really expect you to answer that. That's why I'm up though. Days like today… even though we won, I think the spirits like to remind us of all we've lost. Keeps us humble I guess…"

Heihachi never ceased to amaze him. Kambei nodded his head, "I couldn't agree more. It's the thought of possible future spirits on my mind though. This war is not yet over."

"Hmmm, that makes sense, you certainly don't need to be any more humble."

Kambei shot Heihachi a questioning glance.

"Well… I have past things to atone for," Heihachi said softly, his eyes aimed out into the dark but his focus somewhere inside. "So my spirits remind me of that goal. But maybe yours are trying to remind you of the here and now, what's right in front of you - telling you not to waste it because you never know what tomorrow might hold. You're lucky to have spirits like that…" Heihachi finished quietly. Turning his gaze back toward the dumbfounded Kambei, he gave him a sad smile before heading back inside.

xxxxxxx

Kyuzo sat his heavy burden down on the ledge in relief. His trip across the canyon floor and back up the other side had been uneventful, but the Nobuseri weapon was awkward and far from light. He'd kept his senses open for any sign of the enemy in hopes of getting at least an idea of where their camp might be but with no luck. Would they have stayed with the burning and demolished airship or moved away from it? And if they had moved, would it be to the west where the fog was thickest and provided more cover or to east where they could see better but could also be seen?

Given the lack of any sound, the most likely answer was to the west. But the problem was that he was already to the west of the crash site - he'd been back and forth across the canyon and not even gotten a hint of any Nobuseri there. Were they further west or were they closer to the downed ship?

_Che, how annoying… _

The idea of aimlessly wandering around the canyon did not appeal to him. That was something Kastsushiro could have done.

He bounded back down the cliff face, able to use less caution now that he was familiar with the route. Once he reached the bottom, he laid himself flat out and pressed his ear to the ground and waited.

_There…_

The fog may have been affecting the sound but the vibrations were still there. Hmm, they were to the west of the crash site but east of his current location.

Slinking slowly in their direction, he stayed crouched low to the ground near the cliff side. After a few minutes the sound of muted metal footsteps reached him and he froze - a foot soldier. It was a mere 15 yards away when its hazy silhouette finally became somewhat visible. Kyuzo eased a step closer to rock wall, watching as the Mimizuku crossed the canyon. He stayed where he was as it turned around and followed its earlier path back across the canyon, disappearing quickly into the fog again. He waited about 10 minutes before it came back.

_A patrol, then… This must be the western edge of their camp…_

He continued watching it, brows furrowed as he realized that the fog would make assessing their numbers next to impossible. If only he had some way to mark it, so he wouldn't count it twice…

_Maybe I should just kill it…_

His eyes widened a bit at the thought. That shouldn't even have occurred to him as an option. As someone experienced with missions like this, he knew better. While it was tempting to pick off the enemy numbers when the chance presented itself, it made the likelihood of discovery much higher. On a scouting mission the main goal was to gather information and bring it back. The outcome of the battle and the lives of his comrades often depended on such information.

He saw Kambei's disapproving face in his mind and huffed irritably. They were outnumbered and fighting alongside farmers - every advantage was needed. With that rebellious thought and the oddly thrilling idea of defying Kambei in some way in mind, he pulled his blades. As if doing something he knew the man would disagree with would chase him from his mind.

He darted behind the foot soldier, expertly cutting through it in places that would keep it from smoking or exploding and catching the pieces before they could hit the ground. With that one move, he'd just blown off every piece of training he'd ever had.

And he enjoyed it.

His heart was pounding. He felt alive. He was reminded of his first encounter with Shimada Kambei. The fierce pointless battle that ensued. A battle for no reason but the challenge. He'd felt this way then, too. And once again when he'd killed Hyogo and joined Kambei in his hopeless war with farmers against the Nobuseri. All a pointless waste of his skill that would have his father and sensei turning in their graves.

Emotion was weakness. He was a tool for war, it was his only purpose. Meant to follow orders and wield his blades without question. But only in the service of those his family felt were worthy. Perfect soldiers came at a high price. That had been his life as long as he could remember. Yet, here he was. His very presence in this war was a contradiction to everything he'd been taught, so should he really be using those lessons here anyway?

His logic was thin and he knew that, but he was growing steadily addicted to making his own decisions, and… _feeling._

A small smile flashed across his face as he turned to hide the pieces of his fallen opponent in the thicker western fog.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note**: As far as the names of the types of bandits, I'm really not sure if I have them all correct. For the Nobuseri I've labeled the blue ones Raiden, the red ones Crimson Spiders, and the yellow/red ones Benigumo. The ninja-like foot soldiers are Mimizuku, the ones that resemble flying cans are Yakan and the pink ones that split apart into two are Tobito. If any of that's wrong, I apologize.

No Kambei this chapter. He's sleeping, and we don't care about that.

As far as Kyuzo goes in this chapter… well… he's making a mess. I gave him a little leeway and he just ran with it.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 5**

He'd taken out ten Mimizuku and a Yakan thus far and was feeling a little impressed with himself. Killing a Yakan in complete silence isn't something just anyone could do. The thing hadn't even wanted to be quiet after it was dead, one of its arms had just randomly fallen off and he'd had to catch it with his foot (his arms being occupied with the rest of it). He'd been looping around where he'd pinpointed their camp to be and was picking off all the ones furthest away. It was time consuming though. After every kill he'd carry the pieces a good distance to the west, into the thicker fog where their chance of discovery was practically zero. He may have been feeling a bit reckless, but he wasn't stupid.

Crouching near the southern cliff wall, he laid his head to the ground and listened again. He wasn't too far from their camp now - he could hear the vibrations of what seemed to be three Nobuseri and too many foot soldiers to distinguish. Unfortunately there was no way to account for the number of Yakan units or Tobito as they didn't touch the ground.

He'd have to get closer.

Maybe he wasn't strictly following the guidelines of a scouting mission, but he was still aware that getting a read on the enemy numbers was still his top priority. He briefly wondered what Kambei's face would look like when he told him what he'd been doing down there. His eyes narrowed as he smirked. He'd be furious. A picture of Kambei, tall and taunt with righteous anger, flashed through his mind and he felt something hot spread through him. He stopped his forward motion and blinked. What was _that_? He shook his head, passing the feeling off as anticipation. They'd probably end up in a fight and he was looking forward to it. That was all.

The Yakan seemed to appear in front of him from nowhere. And apparently it felt the same about him, because they both just froze and stared at each other. Kyuzo whipped his blades forward purely out of instinct. The sound of tearing metal was loud. The explosion after it was louder.

_Well… Shit._

He was about to pull back when the hazy form of a Mimizuku appeared with a bow aimed at him. He wasn't overly concerned, Gorobei wasn't the only one that could dodge arrows after all. It wasn't until the arrow had already crossed half the distance between them that he saw its odd shape.

_Arrow bomb…_

He dove behind the remains of the Yakan he'd just slain, but the blast was still intense. The armor had protected him from the fire and debris but the impact blew him about 20 feet back. He hit the ground hard and rolled with it, stopping in a crouched position, blades ready.

He couldn't see anything, but that was nothing new. Moving in a silent crouching run to left, he tried to put distance between him and where the foot soldier had last seen him.

The sound of the air being disturbed was the only warning he had before the huge Nobuseri sword came arcing out of the mist at him. He dropped to the ground in an instant, only losing a few strands of hair instead of being cleaved in half. As he jumped back to his feet he realized he could see more clearly now. The fog was still thick, but it was no longer the black and dark gray canvas he'd gotten used to - it was a lighter gray, thin beams of clearer air interspersed through the now familiar murk. The sun was coming up. And with this new clarity he could see the position he was in.

He'd run directly into the enemy camp.

He must have gotten turned around in the explosion. He'd thought he'd been running to the west, not the north. How irritating. He smirked at the thought that at least he'd get some numbers now.

The Raiden had been the one that had swung at him and it looked like it was getting ready for another strike. Plus the Crimson Spider was leveling its gun at him. And let's not forget the couple dozen smaller opponents crowding around them.

He went for the Spider, but it got a shot off first. He dodged easily to the right and the blast took out a handful of foot soldiers instead. Leaping at it before it could pull the trigger again, he ran his blade up its gun, cutting it in half lengthwise, then jamming his other blade into its head when he reached the top. He dodged backwards and landed back on the ground as the Raiden's sword came at him again, cutting through its downed comrade in the process.

_Where was the Beni-_

That was as far as he got before the sword came speeding out of the fog at him. There was no time. He was barely able to get his right blade up, but all he managed to do was change the angle of the larger sword - twisting it awkwardly down and back so the sharpened edge was facing away from him. But that still left the blunt side hurtling towards him.

It struck his left side and sent him skidding head over heels across the canyon floor, coming to a stop near the smoking remains of some of the Mimizuku that had been taken out by the Spiders gun moments before.

He couldn't seem to breathe and his vision was off. Everything was a little too bright but out of focus and shaking in time with his heartbeat, which seemed to be going much to fast. He tried to push himself up, but as soon as he moved his left arm, pain stole away what little breath he'd managed to get back. His vision tunneled for a moment and he felt a little like he might throw up. Che, he hadn't thrown up since he was 7 and his sensei had nearly cut off his arm during a match. Same arm actually…

He could feel the vibrations in the ground getting closer. It was coming for him. He'd failed. They wouldn't know how many to expect, they wouldn't know about the arrow bombs, they -

_Was that a…_

He stretched out his right hand, letting it drop the sword he'd miraculously held onto, and grasped the blurry item right in front of his face. An arrow bomb. One of the destroyed foot soldiers must have been carrying it.

As the Benigumo stepped into view, he pressed the button on the device's side and whipped it at the machine with as much force as he could. Without waiting to see the outcome, he snatched his sword back up and lurched to his feet, sprinting off. Well, he tried to sprint off - his legs buckled after about four strides and he almost passed out. But he pulled himself back up and took off again, only making it about six more steps when the bomb went off. He could barely hear the furious yell of the Benigumo over the pounding in his head.

The further he went, the thicker the fog got. His first thought was that meant he was heading west, but he wasn't too trusting of his sense of direction at the moment. Still, he didn't have any choice but to keep moving. He only stopped for a moment to put his swords away. While he'd managed to hang on to the left even with his injured arm, he couldn't move it enough to get it back in its sheath. He had to pull it around to the front and awkwardly slip it in with his right. That done, he set off again - managing to block out the majority of the pain and moving quicker now. He angled his path a little more to the left, hoping to find the southern cliff wall if he was in fact moving west. After about five minutes, he did and immediately started climbing. It was slower than usual, and painful - he couldn't use his left arm and he was pretty sure he'd broken a few ribs - but he continued up.

The fog was thinning out quickly and it was getting brighter. Glancing to the left, he was surprised to see the ledge he'd left the snipers gun at only about 50 yards away. He paused in his climbing and weighed his options. There was no way he could carry it back to the top like he originally planned. But he really didn't want to just leave it there either. He could just destroy it. Or maybe he should just report it when he got back; let one of the others retrieve it.

Immediately the picture of Kambei coming down into that foggy valley and facing off with a pissed and singed Benigumo came to mind.

He started toward the ledge.

The hum of a bandit reached his ears when he was nearly there. He turned slightly and in the thinning late morning fog he could see the Benigumo coming for him. One shoulder plate was missing and it was looking a little crispy around the edges, but otherwise it was pretty much intact.

_This… could be a problem._

His eyes ticked over to the large gun thoughtfully. Giving a mental shrug, he decided it was worth trying. He hopped onto the ledge and ran to the weapon, pushing it around so that it was still laying on its side but the muzzle was facing out into the canyon. And directly at the Benigumo - who was moving faster now and raising its sword.

He knew he wouldn't be able to get up the strength to fire the weapon with just one arm, so he settled himself down in front of the trigger and pressed back with his entire body. He wasn't able to contain the low moan of pain as it put pressure on his aching back and caused his broken ribs to shift. Suddenly it snapped, falling back from his weight and firing before springing back into place, ramming Kyuzo in the back in the process, sending him tumbling forward and almost off the side.

He looked up through unfocused eyes to see the Benigumo. Apparently it had been almost directly in front of the gun when it went off, completely obliterating its chest cavity. Parts fell off with a squeal of tearing metal as he watched, before it finally exploded, sending fiery wreckage plummeting to the canyon floor.

_Might as well shout, "I'm right here!"_ Kyuzo thought in aggravation as he climbed painfully back to his feet. He and his sword and made quick work of dismantling the gun, making sure it would be of no use to any other Nobuseri that should come across it, then he started the long climb back to the village. Briefly wondering if maybe he should have let Katsushiro take the mission after all.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** As I'm sure you've noticed, I took some liberties with the timeline. I'm not sure how long Kyuzo was gone in the anime, but in this fic it's about 18 hours. Needed some extra time for him to make a huge mess and get his ass kicked a little.

For the canon dialogue, I'm flopping back and forth between the English and the Japanese versions. The wording is very different in places and I'm just using what suits this story the best.

**Chapter 6**

Kambei walked toward the hut where he'd find the water priestess, feeling refreshed. After his nightmare and talk with Heihachi, he'd gone back to sleep without any problem. In fact, dreams of sweat dampened pale skin, soft moans and blond hair occupied his mind for the remainder of the night. A flash of heat rolled through him at the memory and he smiled.

"He's not back yet, so you're going to have to wait on whatever you're planning," Gorobei said, grinning as he walked by.

Kambei just stared at him blankly.

"Oh, don't give me the 'I'm just an innocent old samurai' look. I've worn that look most of my life and know the kind of perverse thoughts it hides," Gorobei laughed, stretching in the grey morning light.

"I'd be pleased if you kept those thoughts to yourself," Kambei said, smiling slightly and continuing on his way. Maybe he should be bothered by the fact that it seemed as though the others knew of his attraction to Kyuzo, but he wasn't. He wouldn't flaunt it but he wouldn't hide it either. He felt no shame in his desire.

As he entered the hut, he was faced with one person he was sure would not be so entertained by the focus of his attraction. The water priestess looked up and smiled brightly.

"Good morning!"

"Good morning. Can I make a request for the afternoon meal?"

"Of course, Great Samurai," she answered, looking a little confused but still smiling.

After giving Kirara the instructions for making Firefly Gruel, he went out to check the east end. He almost felt bad for the girl. Hopefully she'd see Katsushiro was a much better fit for her and lose her fascination with him. He knew that was an unlikely hope though, he had a feeling he'd end up being quite blunt with her about their chances together.

The morning passed on uneventfully, but as the sun rose higher in the sky, Kambei's worry for Kyuzo increased. He had actually expected him to be back around dawn. Yet here it was, past noon, and he still hadn't returned.

Making his way back to the village, he spotted Shichiroji coming out of the forest.

"Everything's good at the southern point," he said, joining Kambei.

"And the east," Kambei replied. "Lets eat before we check in with Heihachi."

"Sounds like a plan," Shichiroji agreed easily. "I think Katsushiro's up that way too, we should take them some food."

"An excellent idea," Kambei agreed with a small smile.

"What's with the look…" Shichiroji was eyeing him uneasily. "I know that look. It means you're about to be amused at the expense of someone else. It's not me, is it?"

Kambei laughed and was saved from answering by a group of rowdy boys rushing by, yelling something about "defeating the bandit" and "time for food". Shichiroji grinned as he watched them run into the hut ahead of them.

"They were playing with Kikuchiyo. I think they make good playmates for him. Keeps him out of trouble."

"He gets along well with the farmers. It eases the tension a great deal." Kambei had had a few doubts about the large machine samurai at first. He always seemed to be getting into some kind of trouble, not unlike a child himself. But his kind heart and dedication to the cause made him an invaluable addition.

They stepped into the hut to see the three boys feasting on their rice balls with great enthusiasm. Kirara was toward the back, concentrating on a large pot. She looked up when they entered and gave a small smile.

"Oh, Kambei!" He didn't dare look at Shichiroji. He could practically feel the man's amusement rolling off of him.

"Is the food ready?" He was looking at one of the village women, but he could still feel Kirara's eyes on him.

"Yes, help yourself," the woman offered kindly.

"Actually, if it's all right with you, I'd like you to give it to the men instead."

The night had been good, everyone had eaten well and been in high spirits. He wanted to make sure that same level of morale remained as they waited for the next battle. The woman happily agreed and started piling more on the plate.

"Kirara, do you have what I mentioned?"

"Yes, it's right here," she answered. Dishing some into a bowl. "Here you go," she said, sounding a little confused.

He removed his shoes and stepped up to the raised area, Shichiroji following, and sat in front her, taking the offered bowl. He could smell the strong bitter scent of the gruel now. It gave him such a wave of nostalgia it almost left him light headed. He could remember the last time he'd had this clearly. His grandmother had made it for him just before he left for the Great War. It was the last time he'd seen her.

He was drawn out of his thoughts by Kirara inquiring about his wound, which he assured her was fine.

"Is that... Firefly Gruel?" Shichiroji asked, sounding like he was hoping it wasn't.

"Hmm, I had a certain craving for it today," Kambei answered, wanting to smile at his friend's distaste but keeping a straight face.

"Are you sure you want that? There's plenty of rice..." The woman's plate was full of large delicious looking rice balls now and she was looking back and forth between them and the gruel as if she were questioning his sanity.

"White rice prepares a man's body, but only Firefly Gruel prepares his soul," he repeated the words he'd heard many times from his grandmother. He lifted the bowl and drank. The broth was thick and it burned a little as it went down, the strong taste left his sinuses clear.

_Just as vile as I remember it to be,_ he thought fondly. How could something so foul bring one so much clarity? For already his mind felt sharper and his soul more at peace.

"Kirara, Shichiroji too."

Shichiroji's made a tiny sound of complaint, but all he said as Kirara offered him the bowl was, "Alright. If you insist..."

Kambei was having a hard time containing his laughter at the faces his friend was making as he choked down the gruel, so he turned away and adopted a meditative look as he weaved a story about how the Firefly Gruel was like the farmers and the samurai were like the cup.

Shichiroji's face was serene as he said, "You're just as kind as ever," but his eyes said, _"You bastard, I know your fucking with me"._

Kambei's amusement dripped away as he turned to hand Kirara his bowl and saw the dreamy look she was aiming at him. Apparently his analogy had been a little too good...

"And that is why I keep losing battles," he muttered.

Shichiroji was looking at the kids now with a smile and asking them what they thought. He wasn't fooling Kambei any though, he knew his friend was just looking for anything to distract him from the bowl in front of him. He only half listened to them proclaim their love for rice, but his attention was caught when they stated they wanted to grow up to be samurai.

"And why do you want to become a samurai?"

Their childish answers left him feeling hollow.

"You really think you want to be like me..."

The children finished their meal quickly and ran off, as if they could sense the darker turn of Kambei's mood. The thought of those children seeing the things he'd seen, doing the things he'd done... He sincerely hoped their wishes to become samurai were empty ones.

He didn't feel regret for anything he'd done, but he did wish it hadn't been necessary. He was proud to be a samurai, to protect those that could not protect themselves. But the saving of others often meant the damnation of yourself.

He was from a proud samurai family. One that passed on a moral code that many samurai lacked. Most warrior class families focused on duty, honor, and giving yourself and your blade completely to your master. Kambei's father had taught him to always do what he felt was right. That you only lifted your blade for that which you thought was worthy. That if you followed your own personal code of integrity then, no matter what anyone else thought of you, you would never feel shame. Only then could you truly be an honorable man. And even though that path had been filled with pain, death and heartache, it was still the most important lesson he'd ever learned and he was grateful every day for it. He had never lifted his blade for anything but what he felt to be a worthy cause.

He came back from his musings to see that Shichiroji had finished his gruel. He currently had an delighted smirk on his face as he watched Kirara dish up two more bowls. Shichiroji was going to make sure he wasn't the only one tortured with the Firefly Gruel that day.

They both thanked Kirara for the meal and set off for the northern post. As soon as they reached the woods Shichiroji burst out laughing.

"'_The farmers are like this gruel'_? Where do you come up with this stuff? And did you see the priestess's face? You just dug yourself deeper with her!" He was gasping in mirth now and it was a testament to his balance that not a drop had been spilled from the bowls he was carrying. "To be able to make a girl you don't want, want you _more _after comparing her to gruel. That is truly a talent, Kambei."

Kambei said nothing, he was still irritated that his little joke had backfired in such a way.

They walked in silence for a bit, only broken by Shichiroji's occasional chuckle.

They were almost there when he said in a serious voice, "You're bothered by what those kids said."

"The path of a samurai is not one to be taken lightly."

"Times have changed. The only reason any farm kids would grow up to be samurai is if another war broke out and they were desperate for bodies. The time of the samurai is past."

"It is impossible to know the wars of the future."

"That's cheery. I'm starting to wish I'd left you back in the village with Kirara and your gruel…"

Kambei shot him a dirty look as they reached the end of the forest. Heihachi's voice floated up to them from the path below and Kambei listened to the words of wisdom Heihachi offered Katsushiro, once again impressed with his insight. His words also served to add to Kambei's suspicions about the scars on the young mechanic's heart.

Finally the two younger samurai noticed their presence and they slid down the embankment to join them.

"Is that..." Heihachi started in dread.

The look on Shichiroji's face was pure evil as the held the bowls forward and said in an overly happy tone, "Firefly gruel!"

Kambei suppressed a smile at the looks of horror on the farmers faces. Shichiroji must have noticed too, because he was quick to assure them it wasn't for them.

"A samurai toast before battle," Kambei added stepping forward to join the fun.

A clattering of distant rocks interrupted them though. Heihachi and Katsushiro spun around and went for their swords as Shichiroji sat down the gruel to better grip his staff. Kambei moved past them to cautiously look down the cliff into the fog. More scraping and rocks falling met his ears.

"What is it Great Samurai?" A farmer asked nervously.

He held up a hand and told them to be quiet as he focused on what he was hearing.

_Could it be…_

"He's alone." Shichiroji seemed to be thinking the same thing Kambei was. After a few moments he could finally see a figure through the fog, it was moving slowly and carefully, pausing between leaps. As it got closer, Kambei was able to make out a bit of faint red.

_Kyuzo!_

His relief was short lived though, as Kyuzo made a final leap to land atop one of the fence posts. He looked …bad. His blond hair was matted with blood on one side, it ran down the side of his face and disappeared in his dark collar. His skin was pale and he had dark purplish-blue rings under his eyes.

He jumped to the ground, swaying a bit as he landed, and positioned himself so he was facing away from Kambei. Kambei watched him closely, worry coiling tightly in his chest.

"They have arrow bombs." Kyuzo's low voice broke the silence.

_Straight to the point then._

"Do you know how many?" Kambei asked, shifting his worry to the side with effort as his priority as a leader came forward.

"No."

"And their numbers?"

"A Raiden, around 25 Yakan and Tobito and a moderate number of foot soldiers."

_That was all? _

He wondered if the others had left, maybe to get reinforcements. But that seemed unlikely. They'd want revenge. They'd been shamed by farmers and ronin, they'd be out for blood. A suspicion was forming in Kambei's mind.

"Only one Raiden? What happened to the other Nobuseri?"

"They are no longer an issue."

"…you killed them." His voice was quiet in it's fury. What had he been _thinking_? He not only endangered the mission, he endangered himself. Acting in such a way on a scouting mission in enemy territory was pretty much equal with suicide. He had wondered about Kyuzo's recklessness before, but had never thought him capable of such a completely foolish action. Kyuzo's silence was all the answer he needed.

"Th-that's amazing!" Katsushiro's voice was high with awe. It only upped Kambei's ire to see him staring at Kyuzo in such obvious admiration. Only part of it was because it was idiotic look up to such behavior…

"That is _not_ amazing. It was dangerous and foolhardy. He endangered us all with his actions," he snapped at Katsushiro, even though his eyes didn't leave Kyuzo's back. He could see in the way he tensed that he hadn't appreciated the reprimand. He took a deep breath and calmed himself. He had worried earlier about the condition of the fog and how it may compromise Kyuzo's mission. Maybe that's what had happened, an unavoidable situation. "How many?"

"…it is unimportant"

"How. Many." His voice brooked no arguments. It was the voice of a commander demanding information in the time of war. A voice he knew Kyuzo would give an answer to.

"One Raiden, one Crimson Spider, one Benigumo and about a dozen combined Yakan and Mimizuku."

If Kambei had been an ounce less controlled, his mouth would have fallen open at these numbers. This was _not _a case of being discovered because of unfavorable circumstances and being forced to kill to escape. This was blatant insubordination combined with a death wish.

"Fool! You have forgotten what you are! You are SAMURAI! You-" He was cut off from his tirade by a sudden surge of killing ki. Katsushiro actually took a full step back from Kyuzo, eyes wide, and Shichiroji gripped his staff tighter and stepped closer to Kambei. Kambei himself didn't move though, he just watched the stiff back of Kyuzo and the twitch of his fingers as they ached to pull his sword. But the sensation was gone as quickly as it had come, leaving Kambei confused about Kyuzo's sudden loss of control.

"I need sleep," Kyuzo's deep voice sounded normal as he started to leave, not a trace of the killing intent he'd had just moments before. Kambei wasn't going to just let this drop though, he closed the gap between them quickly and grabbed Kyuzo's left arm.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

His steady pace up the rock face had been brutal, and the further he got, the harder it was to ignore his injuries. He was tired, in pain, and increasingly pissed off. The one thought that had continued to repeat itself over and over with every miserable minute was:

_This is all Shimada Kambei's fault._

He'd always known where he stood, who he was, his purpose. Kambei had made him question all those things. And he wasn't happy about it.

So when he finally reached the top and the first face he saw was Kambei's, his ire had only grown. He wanted sleep, he wanted to bathe, and he wanted to get his dislocated shoulder back where it was supposed to be. He did _not_ want to play games with Kambei.

He nearly bit his tongue in half when he made the leap to the ground from the fence post he'd been perched on, his mouth filled with blood and saliva and his vision went fuzzy for a split second. He forced his face to remain blank as he stared at a point just to the left of Katsushiro.

Was that Firefly Gruel? Gross…

"They have arrow bombs," he started. No use in wasting time. The quicker he gave his report, the better.

"Do you know how many?" He was thankful Kambei followed his lead and got straight to the point.

"No." _Two less than they had before..._ Kyuzo thought wryly.

"And their numbers?" Kyuzo realized the problem right away. While he'd been down there, picking off Nobuseri, he'd been eager to come back and rub it in Kambei's face. Eager to see the mans anger. Now he was in no mood for those things.

"A Raiden, around 25 Yakan and Tobito and a moderate number of foot soldiers," he answered honestly. But he knew what would come next. And ironically, he was not looking forward to it at all.

"Only a Raiden? What happened to the other Nobuseri?" He could hear the suspicion in Kambei's voice. The confrontation was unavoidable. But he tried anyway.

"They are no longer an issue."

"…you killed them." He could almost feel the fury in those words, hot against his back.

"Th-that's amazing!" Katsushiro was practically wetting himself. Kyuzo had the sudden urge to laugh. Not only had he done something incredibly reckless but he'd inadvertently influenced Kambei's new student to act in the same way. Oh, how he wished he didn't feel like absolute shit, this was a wonderful moment going to waste.

"That is _not_ amazing. It was dangerous and foolhardy. He endangered us all with his actions."

Kambei's words rubbed like sandpaper against his raw nerves and his muscles tightened. While part of him knew that Kambei was right, another part of him still felt his actions were justifiable. He'd just upped their chances of winning this war greatly. And...

_It was all Kambei's fault anyway!_

"How many?" Kambei's voice was grating on him, making his head pound worse. He felt nauseous and just wanted to lie down.

"…it is unimportant," he tried answering vaguely in an attempt to avoid the fight he had so wanted when he was down in that canyon.

"How. Many." Kyuzo knew that voice. The voice of his superior wanting answers. It was too far ingrained in him to ignore such a demand and that Kambei was using it against him made him even more furious, which made him feel even more ill.

"One Raiden, one Crimson Spider, one Benigumo and about a dozen combined Yakan and Mimizuku."

"Fool! You have forgotten what you are! You are SAMURAI! You-"

Kyuzo snapped, he felt his ki flare as thoughts of his blades meeting Kambei's flesh rose in his mind.

_Forgotten who he was?_

And who's fault was that? The voice of his father and sensei telling him what he was overlapped with Kambei's idea on what a samurai should be. Kambei Shimada had taken everything he'd ever know and turned it upside down.

And suddenly the fury was gone and he just felt tired and empty.

"I need sleep," he said, deciding it was best to just walk away from this confrontation. But as he started walking toward the forest a hand clamped down on his injured arm. Agony ripped through him and he sucked in a sharp breath that lodged itself in his throat. A bright flash blinded him and then was just as quickly replaced by an encroaching darkness from the edges of his sight. He shot his other arm out and felt it make contact with something, he didn't care what, all he knew was that it caused that awful grip to be released. He felt one of his knees buckle and fought to draw in air properly again. When he'd willed back the darkness and felt he could breath properly again he looked up to see a pale Shimada Kambei staring back at him with blood dripping from his nose.

Hmmm… so that's what he'd hit. He felt a burst of vicious satisfaction.

"You're wounded."

Kambei's voice was calm, but his eyes were intense. He knelt down next to Kyuzo and reached for him. Kyuzo couldn't have stopped the animalistic growl that burst from him had he tried. He jerked himself to his feet and stood looking down on Kambei, forcing any sign of pain or weakness from his face.

"Do not touch me."

He turned back to the forest half expecting to hear Kambei's voice call after him. He was relieved when he didn't. And maybe, just a small part of him was disappointed as well.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 7**

Kambei watched the red clad samurai disappear into the forest, feeling a little guilty and a lot worried. He'd handled that badly. As a leader, he had every right to be angry, but he'd also let his personal feelings affect his reaction. The thought of Kyuzo down in that canyon facing that many enemies alone had sent a spike of fear through him. His automatic reaction to that fear had been anger.

He could hear the mumbles of the farmers behind him.

"B-but isn't this a good thing? I mean… th-the less bandit's the better, right?"

And they were right. Kyuzo had been wrong, but there was no denying the outcome would tip the odds heavily in their favor. It would also give them more time. A Raiden would not be familiar with planning a battle and commanding troops. Kambei had no doubt he would try, but it would take time to regroup. Kambei guessed Kyuzo had bought them about three days.

He closed his eyes and rubbed them tiredly as he stood again, absentmindedly wiping the blood from under his nose. The hit had been incredibly fast, but not well aimed. An act of pure instinct, not really meaning to cause damage. Kambei supposed he should be grateful Kyuzo hadn't pulled his sword and lopped his head off.

"Sensei, was that necessary? We don't know what happened down there."

Kambei forced himself not to snap at the boy, but it was difficult - he was in no mood to listen to Katsushiro's naïve ideas on samurai behavior or hear him fawn over Kyuzo.

"And you don't know the first thing about war," Shichiroji said bluntly, saving Kambei from answering. He walked over and picked up the abandoned gruel then shoved it at the two younger samurai. "Now eat your gruel and get back to your posts."

The boy looked ready to argue, but Heihachi took the bowls, forced one into Katsushiro's hands and tugged him away. Shichiroji watched them go then walked over to Kambei, swinging his staff around and letting it come to a stop behind his head where his lifted arms gripped it casually.

"Thank you, Shichiroji."

"I wouldn't say it in front of them, but... the kids right, you were a little harsh."

"His actions were not acceptable, you know this."

"He might have felt differently. We don't know the circumstances or the way Kyuzo thinks," Shichiroji stated easily. Then he slid a sly glance at Kambei and said, "You're just pissed something almost happened to him before you-"

"Something did happen to him," Kambei cut him off. Both because he didn't want him to finish that sentence and because he was reminded of the fact Kyuzo was currently wandering around the forest with who knew what kind of injuries.

"Yeah, someone should check on him. I'm sure he'll be stubborn about it but someone should tend to his wounds." He adopted a look of innocence that Kambei was immediately wary of. "Maybe we could send Katsushiro?"

His muscles tensed at the sudden mental image of Katsushiro, a look of awe and devotion on his face, bandaging a prone Kyuzo.

That was _not_ happening.

Shichiroji grinned delightedly, "Jealousy is such an ugly emotion, Kambei."

He was stopped from replying by the approach of Heihachi holding two empty bowls. He handed them to Shichiroji and then gave Kambei a small sad smile.

"With all due respect, not everyone's the same kind of samurai you are, Kambei. Going from working for a man like Ayamaro to defending a farming village is a big step. I think Kyuzo's just trying to find some footing in new terrain. The path to becoming a better man is never an easy one."

With that, he left the two men standing in silence and was grinning and joking with the farmers again a moment later.

"So, now that Heihachi's made you feel like a scummy ass, why don't you go find your injured samurai and try not to do things like yell and be a bastard?"

"He still went against mission protocol. No matter what side he fought on in the war he's too good of a samurai not to be aware of the rules of a scouting mission."

Shichiroji sighed and lowered one end of his staff to the ground, leaning on it tiredly. "I appreciate that you want to be professional about this. But this isn't the Great war, Kambei. There's only seven of us, and our only allies are farmers. And if I recall correctly, you weren't ever one for really following the rules anyway, so why are you being so difficult about this?"

Kambei didn't answer, he only continued to stare off in the direction Kyuzo had disappeared. Finally, he started toward the forest. "Shichiroji, check in with Gorobei. Make sure to take him some gruel."

Shichiroji's answering laugh met him as he disappeared into the trees.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kyuzo moved into the darker part of the forest, far from any of the paths. The moist clean smell and the soft dappled light were easing his tension and making him drowsy. Unfortunately, he had a dislocated shoulder he had to deal with before he could get any rest. He'd already let it go for too long, it couldn't be ignored any longer. The area was starting to spasm, which would send burning pain shooting down his arm through his chest and across his back. Deciding just to get down to it, he sat down at the base of a large tree and leaned back against it. Wasting no time dwelling on it, he reached over with his right arm, grasped the injured left lightly at the forearm, and bent it so it was resting on his stomach. Just that slight movement had him grinding his teeth, but he continued. Sliding his grip to the wrist, he slowly started rotating the arm out from the elbow. Seconds later he was vomiting between his legs. The injury had sat for too long, the muscles around it were too tense now for the joint to slide back into its original position. He wouldn't be able to do it himself. He'd have to ask for help.

_Fuck._

He stared down at the foamy puddle of blood and bile and wondered who'd be the best to ask. Gorobei's post was closest, but something about the way the man looked at him made him uneasy. It was a completely innocent look, almost _too _innocent. Something in his eyes made Kyuzo sure he didn't want to know what the man was really thinking. No, he wouldn't be asking Gorobei. Heihachi would be a good choice, but he wasn't sure if Kambei was still there. Seeing him right now would just be adding insult to injury.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Kyuzo suddenly heard Kambei's long measured footsteps coming his way. He quickly got to his feet, pain and exhaustion robbing him of his usual grace, but he refused to remain seated, letting Kambei look down on him.

When he finally appeared in front of him, Kyuzo's breath caught. There, standing in the shifting light filtered down between the thick layer of leaves with a soft breeze pulling at his hair and clothing, Kambei made a striking picture. Something he didn't understand clenched in Kyuzo.

"You need to have your injuries tended too."

And just like that, the spell was broken and Kyuzo felt the tug of the defensive anger from earlier. He forced it to remain just beneath the surface though, he didn't want another embarrassing lapse in control like before.

"I'll take care of it," he said blandly. Turning his back on Kambei and walking away.

"I wanted to apologize for earlier," Kambei's voice called out behind him.

Kyuzo stopped in confusion and turned around. "Why?"

"I don't agree with your actions, but I didn't bother to ask about the circumstances before reacting as I did. As someone recently pointed out, this isn't the Great War. The same rules need not apply."

So, he'd blatantly endangered the mission and Kambei was apologizing for being angry about it. It should have been amusing, but instead he was just more irritated and confused.

"I did it purposely to anger you." The words came out before he'd really had a chance to think it over. But he wanted to know how Kambei would react to that information.

Kambei had stopped a few yards away and his eyes narrowed at this admission. Then, strangely enough he smirked and slowly started moving closer.

"Why?"

Kyuzo watched the man curiously. Was he going to attack him? His stance looked predatory but he didn't feel any danger, just an odd anticipation that coiled low in his stomach.

"I'm not sure," he answered honestly.

Kambei was close enough now for him to be able to smell the complimentary scents of rain and incense the man emitted. Kambei's eyes, which had been studying his face came to a rest on his mouth. He raised a hand and brought it slowly toward Kyuzo's face, as if he were reaching for a wild animal and wanted to show it he meant no harm. Kyuzo pulled his head back but the hand kept coming and he refused to take a step back. The feeling of large warm fingers coming to a rest on the side of his face made him jump slightly, but otherwise he remained motionless. He watched Kambei, and Kambei watched his mouth. Then the other man's thumb was brushing across his lower lip.

Kyuzo had no idea what was going on or how he should react so he just remained completely still, watching in rapt attention as Kambei removed his hand. He glanced down at the thumb Kambei was so interested in and saw blood. Must have been from when he threw up earlier. For some reason he found that thought funny and snorted lightly, but the action sent pain radiating through his injured ribs followed quickly by another painful muscle spasm from his shoulder.

He could see Kambei's hand reaching for him again, but this time he did step back. He had no experience with people touching him in any way that didn't involve fighting or the rare incidents when he had required medical attention, and didn't want Kambei doing so when he was too distracted by the pain to pay attention to what was going on. Kambei seemed to understand and didn't move any closer. Eventually the pain faded to something a little more bearable and Kyuzo brought his attention back to Kambei, who was watching him silently through narrowed eyes.

"Dislocated shoulder," Kyuzo answered the unasked question.

Kambei nodded in understanding. "Would you allow me... to assist?" He asked a little hesitantly, obviously already familiar with Kyuzo's penchant for relying on no one. Kyuzo watched him silently and Kambei waited patiently. Finally he nodded.

"It would be easier without the coat. May I?"

He was already stepping closer and raising his hands in the same slow manner he'd used earlier. Kyuzo nodded again and watched Kambei's hands as one disappeared behind him and gripped his sword's sheath and the other unsnapped the belt that held it in place - so close he could feel the heat of Kambei's body. He let the swords slip softly to the ground, then his hands went to the clasps of Kyuzo's coat, releasing them with unhurried decisive fingers. Once the coat was hanging open, Kambei's hands slid inside and Kyuzo's breath caught. He focused his eyes straight ahead, his gaze coming to rest on the taller man's throat as his hands ghosted up his front to his shoulders, lightly pushing the coat back. Kambei was being unexpectedly careful, but the light tugging on his shoulder was still painful. Finally the heavy red garment released its grip on him and fell around his feet.

One of Kambei's hands came to rest on Kyuzo's hip, making him jump again at the unaccustomed casual touch. The other brushed over his injured shoulder again. His hands were hot against the thin fabric of his black undershirt.

"It'll be easier if you sit and brace yourself against something," Kambei's voice sounded rougher than normal, his breath puffing across Kyuzo's forehead. Kyuzo was silent and still for a moment, the new sensations making his mind slow. Then he nodded and stepped away from Kambei, surprised at the sudden loss of warmth. He turned and walked a few steps to a large tree and sank down at its base, making an effort not to look as tired and clumsy as he felt.

Kambei knelt next to his outstretched legs and wrapped one hand around the bicep of his injured arm and placed the other hand, palm flat, over his collar bone.

"Ready?"

Kyuzo hadn't even finished nodding when Kambei wrenched his arm back. He choked back a cry of pain and his vision went white. When he was able to breath properly again, the first thing he noticed was the sweet relief in his shoulder. It still ached but the fiery agony of before was gone. The next thing he noticed was that his vision was still filled with white. He blinked in confusion and moved his head only to realize it had been leaning against Kambei's shoulder. Jerking back, he was further horrified to learn his traitorous right hand had also been gripping the material at Kambei's side. He heard Kambei laugh softly, and then his hands were back at Kyuzo's shoulders, massaging the left gently.

"I'm going to check for other damage now," Kambei said.

Kyuzo felt he should argue about this, but the relief of the pain in his arm and the warmth of Kambei combined with his exhaustion was making him remarkably agreeable. He just nodded slightly as his eyes drooped, breath hitching as Kambei's hands drifted over his shoulders, down the front of his chest and under his arms. He was surprisingly gentle as he made his way down Kyuzo's sides, pressing lightly. Having never been touched by anyone like this, Kyuzo found himself enjoying the feeling of Kambei's warm hands on his body. That feeling evaporated when Kambei pressed in a spot that sent ragged pain racing through him, stealing his air. His eyes snapped open and he quickly snatched Kambei's wrist with his right hand, holding it slightly away from him.

"They're broken," Kambei stated, his other hand continued its descent and finally came to a rest just above Kyuzo's hip.

"Hmmm."

"There could be internal damage," Kambei replied, pulling his hand lightly from Kyuzo's grip and twisting his fingers to let them brush the back side of his hand - pausing to let his thumb rub gently back and forth over Kyuzo's open palm.

"There's not."

_Does the man actually think I could climb for hours up a cliff and not know if I'd punctured a lung?_

There was no animosity in that thought though. He knew he should be upset with the way Kambei's hands lingered on him, but all he felt was comfort and increasing lethargy.

"You coughed blood earlier." Kambei's voice was closer now. He could feel the air from the man's words brushing across his own lips.

"Just bruising," he mumbled back, briefly hoping it was just his tired mind that was making his words sound so slurred.

At last he lost the battle to keep his eyes open. The smell of incense and rain curled around him and Kambei's breath mingling with his own was the last thing he felt before he lost consciousness.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: **All Kambei's POV this chapter. Kyuzo's all sleepy, his section would be filled with blank stares and mumbled nonsensical words, so I'll be leaving that out.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 8**

Kambei was enjoying the feel of Kyuzo under his hands. Maybe a little too much. But with Kyuzo currently gripping his clothing tightly and his forehead pressed into Kambei's shoulder, it was hard not to take pleasure in the moment. He'd just popped his dislocated shoulder back in and was waiting for the inevitable moment that Kyuzo would realize his position and pull away. But right now he was savoring the feel of wild blond hair brushing the underside of his jaw and the scent of heated metal and blood tickling his senses.

All too soon Kyuzo jerked back and his look of sleepy confusion was so out of place on his face that Kambei couldn't contain a laugh. He put his hands back on Kyuzo's shoulders, glad to feel that the injured one was back to its normal position again, though the muscles were still tense. It had been a nasty dislocation, he'd have to make sure Kyuzo let it rest for a few days. That was sure to go over well...

"I'm going to check for other damage now," Kambei tried, pressing his luck. He was both surprised and pleased to receive a slight nod of compliance.

It was obvious to Kambei that Kyuzo had little to no experience with someone touching him like this, so he made an effort to move slowly and keep his touch light. Luckily, Kyuzo seemed to be remarkably pliant at the moment. He ran his hands carefully down Kyuzo's shoulders, already seeing where bruises were forming on his pale skin in the gap his shirt left. He was sure it was probably extensive and didn't want to cause him any unnecessary pain, so he kept his touch as soft as he could while still checking for broken bones. His hands slid easily over the slick material of his undershirt, brushing over his defined chest muscles and slipping under his arms. He was a bit disconcerted to feel how ... _fragile_ Kyuzo felt. He could feel his ribs without exerting any pressure and being this close to him with out the flaring red coat, he could see their size difference clearly. Surely, even Katsushiro and Heihachi, although shorter, still weighed more. It was hard to believe such power and grace was held in such a delicate package.

He continued the path down Kyuzo's side, gently probing each rib. Suddenly he felt the ones under his right hand give way under the pressure. Kyuzo sucked in a sharp breath and snatched his wrist in an iron grip, which slowly loosened as he panted.

"They're broken," he said, continuing his check down Kyuzo's other side and feeling nothing amiss. He let his hand rest just above Kyuzo's hip bone, a thrill racing through him at the intimate touch despite the situation.

Kyuzo hummed an agreement.

"There could be internal damage."

The broken ribs were low enough that the chance of a punctured lung was unlikely but not out of the question. He was sure Kyuzo would know if that were the case, but he wasn't so sure if he would tell. He pulled his hand from Kyuzo's slack grip and rubbed his palm lightly, telling himself it was just to reassure and comfort the other, but enjoying the touch too much for it to be truly altruistic.

"There's not," Kyuzo's deep voice answered predictably. Kambei found his eyes drawn to those lips again. Something about their natural downward turn seemed to erase all logic from his mind and he felt himself leaning forward.

"You coughed blood earlier." The remembrance of wiping that blood away with his thumb still lingered in his mind, making his pulse pick up speed as he leaned closer still.

"Just bruising."

Kyuzo's voice was barely audible and his eyes were slipping closed. Encouraged by what seemed to be permission, Kambei moved in to take his lips.

Just before he reached his prize, Kyuzo's head fell forward, his forehead coming to rest against Kambei's left eyebrow and a soft snore was released.

Kambei didn't know whether to be amused or insulted.

He closed his eyes and smiled. He should be grateful things had progressed this far. It was an outcome he hadn't even dared hope for when he'd come after the injured samurai. But with Kyuzo's confused yet provocative admission that his actions in the canyon had been an attempt to purposely rile Kambei, he'd realized his advantage. Kyuzo may not have understood it, but his actions revealed that Kambei's attraction was not one sided. Like a child picking on their first crush, he wanted a reaction. Negative attention was better than no attention.

He'd taken a chance then with his actions, testing Kyuzo. If he was raised the way Kambei was starting to think he was, then he wouldn't understand any form of attraction. His innocently confused and curious reactions to the way Kambei touched him added merit to his theory.

Kambei knew there were warrior class families whose sole purpose was producing high level samurai for hire. The perfect weapons for the highest bidder. They were raised from the day they were born to know nothing but battle. Not love, not encouragement, not family. Only war.

A pang of sadness gripped him and he gently ran his fingers through Kyuzo's unruly hair. The thought that Kyuzo had probably never known a kind hand bothered him.

But the realization that he'd almost certainly never had a lover before sent heat rolling through him. Some animal part of him was pleased that no one else had touched what would be his. He'd relish the opportunity to pull out those reactions in Kyuzo that he wouldn't understand and show him what they meant.

He found himself tipping Kyuzo's head back with the hand he'd been combing through his hair. His other hand tightening possessively on the other mans hip while his lips stopped a scant hair from Kyuzo's. Oh, how he wanted to taste him. Every harsh beat of his heart seemed to loosen more of his restraint. But he wanted to see those usually blank crimson eyes fill with newly found emotion when he finally took him. With that thought, he pulled back and took a deep breath, reestablishing his control and willing back the unfulfilled desire that thrummed through his veins.

Kambei stood and gathered Kyuzo's swords and coat, shaking the latter out and laying over the sleeping samurai while resting his swords next to him. He looked so young right then and Kambei felt a sudden burst of guilt at the fact he'd come so close to kissing him with out his permission. That man was a dangerous addiction, he needed to be careful with how he handled him. If he pushed too hard or too fast Kyuzo could pull away completely. And probably violently.

Kneeling down next to him, he gently pushed the matted bloody hair away from his head wound. The cut wasn't that bad, but it would need cleaned. Plus his ribs needed bandaged. He was torn between waking him and forcing him back to the village or letting him sleep for a while longer. He just looked so tired...

He stood again as he heard someone approaching. Very loudly. Kikuchiyo.

He burst through the foliage with all the grace of a drunken 90 year old woman.

"Hey! Kambei!"

"Kikuchiyo."

"What're ya doin' way out here? Hey... Is that Kyuzo? Kyuzo's back! He's not looking so good..."

Kikuchiyo's loud metallic voice echoed around the previously silent forest.

"He was injured on his scouting mission, but he'll be fine," Kambei explained patiently.

"He should get back to the village then, they'd have him patched up in no time! Want me to carry him for-"

"I'll kill you."

Kyuzo's low voice had them both looking over at the seated samurai, who was in turn glaring at Kikuchiyo through eyes narrowed to thin red slits.

Kikuchiyo laughed nervously. "Hey there, Kyuzo! Not really a morning person, huh? I was just-"

He stopped as Kyuzo's hand moved toward his swords.

"Going! I was just going. You know, important samurai stuff to do." And with that he was gone. Somehow managing to be louder when he left than when he arrived.

Kambei smiled slightly as he watched Kikuchiyo scurry off then turned back to Kyuzo, who was watching him with furrowed brows - as if he were trying to remember something. Then he seemed to give up and his face smoothed out as his eyes closed once again.

"None of that Kyuzo, you need to have your ribs bandaged. "

Kyuzo opened his eyes a fraction and started at him blankly for a moment before giving a low "Hmmm" and closing them again.

"Maybe you do need carried. I could call Kikuchiyo back. Or maybe I could-"

"I'll kill you."

Kambei smiled again, amused by the fact that Kyuzo's immediate reaction upon waking was death threats. He stared at Kyuzo, showing he wasn't going anywhere, and Kyuzo stared back, showing that he apparently didn't need to blink. Finally the lean samurai sighed slightly and pulled himself to his feet, gripping his coat in one hand and grabbing his swords with the other. Kambei took a moment to appreciate the way the muscles under his black shirt tensed and stretched as he stood.

Then Kyuzo was off, leaving Kambei behind with a slow pace that's ease belied his injuries. Kambei shook his head slightly and started after him. The trip was filled with comfortable silence. Kambei was content with just watching Kyuzo and Kyuzo... Kyuzo seemed to be sleeping. While he was walking. Which was fascinating to Kambei. He watched in bemusement as Kyuzo easily stepped around low hanging branches and over protruding tree roots with ease even though his eyes were closed. Occasionally he'd open them a fraction and take in his surroundings then they'd slip closed again.

The late afternoon sun was casting everything in an orange glow by the time they entered the village. Shichiroji, Heihachi and Gorobei were leaning against the outside of the hut the samurai had been staying in.

"There you two are! We were starting to wonder if you'd killed each other out there!" Shichiroji called when he caught sight of them.

"Not me, I was starting to wonder if maybe you were getting along a little _too_ well," Gorobei said with a smile, causing Shichiroji to snicker.

"Maybe I should see if there's any Firefly Gruel left for tonight's meal," Kambei said, feigning a thoughtful look as he stopped in front of them. He noticed with interest that Kyuzo had stopped with him.

"Oh God, please don't," he heard Shichiroji mumble.

"How's Kyuzo, he looks a little... out of it," Heihachi asked. Kambei couldn't tell if he was genuinely concerned of if he just wanted to steer the conversation away from the prospect of more gruel.

"He has some broken ribs that need bandaged," he answered. "And he needs rest."

"I'm sure you have other things to do, Kambei. You go ahead. I'll take care of Kyuzo," Gorobei said innocently, reaching out for the blond samurai.

Suddenly Kyuzo's head snapped around, his narrowed crimson gaze zeroing in on the incoming hand and his indifferent look morphing into a nasty snarl as killing ki seeped out around him.

Gorobei pulled his hand back slowly, watching in interest as Kyuzo's face retained its blank look and he turned away, the bloodlust disappearing.

"He's like a wild animal. I think he really would have hurt me," but instead of sounding upset about it, Gorobei almost sounded excited by the idea.

The others all looked a bit disturbed by Gorobei's suddenly glazed look, but Kambei was feeling more of a smug satisfaction. He'd had his hands all over Kyuzo and he hadn't reacted like that towards him.

"You know. They say wild animals rely on their most base instincts," Heihachi said. "Because of that they can sense someone's true feelings and intentions. If they're scared, or dangerous, or-"

"Perverted," Shichiroji threw in.

"Hey!" Gorobei protested, trying to look insulted, but unable to stop smiling as the other two laughed.

"Oh, Kambei, you're back!" They turned to see Kirara coming towards them, wearing a smile directed at Kambei. He heard Shichiroji snicker behind him.

"The village elder heard that Kyuzo had returned and would like to know what he's learned."

"Thank you, Kirara. Please tell him I'll be there as soon as I can. Also, Kyuzo's broken a few ribs, could you find me some bandages?"

"Please, let me take care of Kyuzo. It's because of his defense of the village he was injured, so it's my duty to see to his wounds."

Kambei wanted to argue with that, but couldn't think of a legitimate reason why only he could tend to Kyuzo. Kirara was smiling kindly at him and reaching for Kyuzo before any of them knew it. They watched, as if it was happening in slow motion, as her hand moved toward his arm and those crimson eyes opened again and turned toward her. Heihachi was opening his mouth to give a warning and Shichiroji was moving forward. Then her hand was on his arm.

And he just blinked at it and then looked at her face, his expression indifferent.

"Come, lets get you taken care of," Kirara said kindly. Unaware of the four slack jawed samurai behind her, she ushered him into the hut.

Once they were out of sight, Shichiroji burst out laughing. "It was just Gorobei! It really must have been animal instinct! You dangerous pervert!"

Gorobei was looking put out at this revelation and Heihachi was laughing along with Shichiroji. Kambei on the other hand was feeling a stab of disappointment. Not that he'd wanted Kyuzo to scare Kirara or hurt her, but he'd thought maybe there was something… special in the fact that Kyuzo had allowed him so near. But apparently he didn't mind Kirara either. Maybe he'd misjudged the situation earlier.

He spent the entire meeting with the elder replaying the events in the woods - second guessing himself and the reactions Kyuzo gave. Maybe Kyuzo wasn't as adverse to touch as he'd first thought. Could he have just thought he was curious when he was actually just indifferent? Had he only wanted to push Kambei because of a fit of rebellion, or maybe he was really just spoiling for a fight? Finally he realized he was being ridiculous and unprofessional and focused on his discussion with the elder about the battle to come.

By the time he made his way back to the hut, the other samurai were gone, probably back to their posts and Kirara was coming out with an armful of bloody cloth and a bowl of red tinged water. She smiled when she saw him but he wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. The sight of those bloody strips of cloth made him uneasy.

"How is he?"

"There's a lot of bruising, but I think he'll be fine with some rest." She followed his gaze to the bloody bandages. "Oh, I cleaned his head wound. It wasn't that bad."

Kambei felt himself relax at her words and nodded. "Thank you, Kirara."

She nodded and smiled, "I'm just glad it wasn't more serious. The rice should be almost done, you should come get something to eat."

"Thank you, I'll be there shortly."

She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something else, a blush staining her cheeks, and Kambei felt a rush of dread. But finally she just nodded again and left. He was glad for the reprieve but knew it wouldn't be long before she worked up the courage to say something about her feelings.

Kambei put her out of his thoughts and stepped into the hut, spotting Kyuzo immediately, his blond hair a beacon even in the fading light. He was lying toward the back, a blanket pulled up to his shirtless chest. As Kambei got closer he could see that Kirara had not only cleaned the cut, but also washed away all the blood from his face, neck and hair. The bandages came up to just below his collar bones and he could see the livid bruises spreading out over the top his chest, up around his shoulder and even partially on his neck.

He sighed and squatted down next to him, reaching forward and running a hand through the damp blond locks. He didn't know whether to be heartened by the fact he didn't wake or not. He wanted to hope it was because Kyuzo was comfortable with his presence, but maybe it was just because he was exhausted. Maybe his acquiescence earlier had all been because of his exhaustion. If that was the case, then he probably wouldn't be too thrilled with Kambei when he woke. Either way, he was sure things were about to get interesting.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** Kyuzo's back this chapter. Please forgive him in advance for having the emotional understanding of a houseplant.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 9**

The first thing Kyuzo was aware of was the loud clanking of Kikuchiyo running by the hut.

_I'm going to kill that nuisance..._

The sound of Kikuchiyo's flailing disappeared, leaving only the soft sound of rain in his wake, but Kyuzo's head still pounded. His mouth felt like he'd stuffed it with cotton after licking the bottom of his boot. And he was hot. He hated waking up hot. That was part of why he'd been sleeping outside since they'd arrived in Kanna. Sharing a hut with six other men, one being big loud machine, was not conducive to a restful night.

So why did he just wake up in said hut?

Slowly images started filtering into his fuzzy brain. He remembered... Kirara. Something about bandaging. He hadn't wanted her to, but years of training ingrained into him not to argue. There was no greater shame than to be injured badly enough to require medical attention. He was already a burden with his incompetence, he shouldn't cause more problems by putting up a fight about treatment.

Then he remembered Kambei...

Kambei being much too close.

Kambei putting his _goddamned hands all over him!_

And he'd just _let_ him!

His eyes widened and his hands clenched at the remembered feeling of Kambei boldly touching him, he welcomed the ache it caused his left arm. He was bothered by it and more that that, he was bothered by the fact that he didn't understand _why_ he was bothered by it. Technically, Kambei's actions were also under the guise of medical treatment, so why was he so angry?

_He took advantage of the situation._

The thought seemed right, but he didn't understand why. Took advantage of what? And for what reason? Kyuzo was steadily getting angrier - he didn't like being confused.

At first he'd enjoyed the new sensations he'd been experiencing since meeting Kambei. Now he was wondering if maybe he hadn't been better off before. He didn't like not knowing what he was feeling or why.

The growling of his stomach interrupted his self analysis. Slowly, he sat up, careful to only put weight on his right arm. He ached all over and had the strangely tired feeling he got on the rare occasion where he slept for too long. Glancing down, he saw he was only wearing his black pants and his chest was covered with white bandages from the bottom of his ribs to a few inches below his collar bones. He vaguely noticed the almost black bruising blooming up from the right side of the bandages up his chest, across his shoulder and down his arm almost to the elbow. He also noticed that Kirara had taken the time to bandage his fingers where he'd ripped the skin off of them after his fall down the cliff. Part of him wanted to scoff that she'd wasted the time caring for something so minor, but another part felt... He didn't know. Warm somehow. Grateful maybe? Thankful that someone had actually treated him as a person instead of a broken tool that just needed to be serviceable again. He rubbed the bandages lightly with his thumb. Fascinated by the fact that something so small could bring out something so new to him.

Again he thought of Kambei and his invasion into his personal space and the new feelings that had brought out in him. It bothered him now, but he could definitely remember not being bothered by it at the time. In fact, he was pretty sure he enjoyed it.

He shook off those thoughts, determined to focus only on getting some food. He clumsily started pulling himself to his feet and was disturbed to find out how much pain he was still in. His body was stiff and his chest, back and shoulder throbbed in time with his heartbeat. Once he was finally up, he leaned heavily against the wall, willing the darkness that had crept up around the edges of his vision back.

"Kyuzo?"

The soft voice from right behind him had him snatching one of his swords that he'd only located subconsciously from the wall beside him and whipping around. Only to see Katsushiro, eyes wide and nose a mere inch from Kyuzo's blade.

"Do you want to die?" He asked irritably. Mostly he was disgusted with himself for letting the boy get so close without noticing. He lowered his sword and re-sheathed it before returning his focus to Katsushiro, who's eyes were currently roaming his torso. Had he really never seen anyone injured before? Before he could think too much on it he spotted the plate of rice balls and tea Katsushiro was carrying and his stomach complained loudly again. The sound snapped the young samurai back to attention; his eyes jerked back to Kyuzo's face and he turned a brilliant shade of red.

"I-I was just seeing- I mean- checking on - uh- here, this is for you," he finally choked out, thrusting the plate at Kyuzo.

Kyuzo mentally raised an eyebrow at the boys antics and took the plate from him. "Thank you."

Katsushiro nodded and fled from the hut, Kyuzo staring after him curiously. Katsushiro was quickly forgotten as the smell of the rice balls floated up to him though. He lowered himself and the food carefully back to the floor and leaned against the wall. Over the next few minutes, he practically inhaled three rice balls and drained almost the entire pot of tea. He felt much better after eating - his body was still sore, but his headache was gone and his mouth no longer tasted like an old sock. He was also much more alert. Alert enough to hear the approach of another person.

He carefully pulled himself back to his feet, holding in a groan as his ribs complained. The window next to him was open and he leaned on the wall next to it - enjoying the cool moist air that brushed against his face as he waited for the other person to enter. Taking a bite of his last rice ball, he concentrated on locking away all his confusion and anger, wrapping himself in the familiar feeling of emptiness that had been who he was until a few weeks ago. It was harder to attain than it should have been, and that worried him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kambei made his way quickly from the slight cover of the trees to the village, the rain soaking into him more thoroughly out in the open. He had to admit, had Kyuzo not been so reckless, their battle most likely would have been today, and they would have been at a distinct disadvantage in this weather. Speaking of Kyuzo, he was eager to see if he was awake yet, it had been almost 24 hours since he'd fallen into the deep sleep after arriving back in the village. First he needed to get something to eat though.

Stepping into the hut where the food was waiting, he immediately spotted Shichiroji and Gorobei talking quietly off to the side, both with suspicious smiles. Shichiroji noticed him first and his eyes widened a bit.

"Kambei!" Then he stuffed the rest of the rice ball into his mouth. "Hamff nu guu maao," he called out as he rushed by, spraying rice and giving a little wave.

"What he said," Gorobei agreed, following after.

Kambei watched them go warily.

_Maybe they were..._

No. He put that thought out of his head almost immediately. While it was obvious that Gorobei preferred men, he knew Shichiroji only went for women. Kambei himself had never cared much about whether a partner was male or female, he was attracted more to the person themselves than their sex.

So that meant they were up to something. It probably wouldn't take long to figure out what it was. He eyed the rice balls one of the women handed him with suspicion. No… they wouldn't have messed with his food. He ate quietly, taking his final rice ball to the doorway with him as he stood and watched the rain fall.

There he saw the two samurai peeking around a corner like they were waiting for something. Suddenly a red faced Katsushiro rushed into view - running up the steps and almost colliding with Kambei in his haste. Kambei's brow furrowed as he saw the two trouble makers collapsed in a silently laughing heap. What had they done?

"Katsushiro?"

The boy's head jerked up to meet his eyes, "Oh! Sensei! I'm so sorry!"

"Is anything wrong?"

"N-no! I was just checking- I mean- Kyuzo- I was taking him something to eat," Katsushiro finally got out.

"So Kyuzo's awake then?" Kambei asked curiously.

Katsushiro nodded, his eyes looking anywhere but Kambei. "Excuse me, sensei. I'm going to get something to eat myself now, if that's alright."

Katsushiro stepped further into the hut and Kambei chuckled softly as three of the village girls rushed around, trying to be the first to serve him. He still wondered about the state the boy had been in when he arrived and what it had to do with Gorobei and Shichiroji. Maybe they knew of Kyuzo's charming quirk of threatening lives when he first woke and sent Katsushiro there on purpose. The thought caused him to smirk as he moved out into the rain, intent on seeing Kyuzo for himself.

He made his way quickly across the village, the only sound the soft splashes of his steps and the hiss of the rain. Reaching his destination, he stepped into the dim hut, shaking the excess water off his clothing as his eyes automatically searched for the blond samurai.

Kambei's mouth went dry at the scene that met him.

Kyuzo was leaning against the back wall by the window eating a rice ball, lit only by the soft gray light from outside. He was barefoot and wearing only a pair of black pants, slung low on his hips and showing the tantalizing "v" made from his hip bones and stomach muscles. The bandages around his chest didn't hide his definition and Kambei could see every dip and line. Even the dark bruising marring his pale skin didn't take away from his body's perfection. His hair was even more unruly than usual, standing up in tufts in all directions, giving him a wild look. Kyuzo was currently watching him with half lidded crimson eyes that seemed to glow slightly in the dim interior of the hut and Kambei watched as though hypnotized as Kyuzo popped the remainder of the rice ball between those sensually down turned lips.

_Katsushiro had seen him like this. _

Jealously spiked through him, hot and dizzying and irrational.

_I should be the only one to ever see him like this. _

Kambei took a step toward him, but stopped as he noticed the empty look in the blonds' eyes. Gone was the curiosity and confusion of before. There wasn't even anger. Just... nothing.

Kambei hated that look. His jaw clenched and he vowed right then and there to do anything it took to wipe it away.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, testing the waters.

"Fine. I'll take the night watch."

_So he wants to hide behind a pretext of professionalism? _

Kambei wasn't going to allow that.

"You're angry about what happened in the forest?" He asked, pushing.

Kyuzo stared back at him blankly before replying, "No. You are a commander. You were checking the state of your tool."

Kambei mentally recoiled at that. His tool? Is that how Kyuzo thought of himself?

"You are not a tool. I wanted to check your injuries because I was worried," he said, staring back intensely at Kyuzo, willing him to understand. When he got no response, he added quietly, "And I wanted to touch you."

Something flickered in Kyuzo's gaze. Encouraged, Kambei moved closer.

"I _was_ checking your injuries. But I took pleasure in putting my hands on you," his voice roughened at the memory of the feel of Kyuzo's body.

"I am a tool of war. I take pleasure in nothing and nothing takes pleasure in me," Kyuzo's eyes flickered again after he said this, his brows furrowing. He hadn't meant to say that, Kambei could tell, it had been some kind of automatic response. Something that had been drilled into him. Kambei felt a low burn of anger at that realization. He meant to wipe away that thought right now. He moved even closer, pulling off his damp gloves and letting them drop to the floor. Kyuzo's eyes followed them but snapped back up with what Kambei said next.

"I already take pleasure in you. And I intend to take more."

He was directly in front of Kyuzo now and could see the fight behind those eyes to stay indifferent. He knew he couldn't stop now, not until he'd completely chased out that empty look. Excitement warred with worry as he thought again about the dangers of pushing Kyuzo too far too fast, and how he was about to do just that.

He brought his right hand up slowly, moving it toward Kyuzo's face - stopping when the others eyes narrowed on the offending limb and his body tensed. He stayed perfectly still, hand hovering in the air and his eyes focused on Kyuzo. When he didn't move, just continued to stare at his hand distrustfully, Kambei continued. Kyuzo's eyes snapped back to Kambei's face when his hand met with his cheek, the look on his face intense. Kambei slowly slid his hand back, letting it come to rest when his thumb was just in front of Kyuzo's ear and the rest of his fingers had tangled in the hair behind it, then he tilted his head back gently.

Keeping his eyes on Kyuzo's, he leaned in. Kambei's heart was hammering in his chest when their lips finally met.

_How long I've waited for this..._

He let his eyes slip closed as he concentrated on the feel of Kyuzo's mouth. His thin lips were surprisingly soft and warm. The fragrant scent of the tea he'd had earlier drifted up to Kambei and he couldn't help but wonder if he tasted like it. Opening his mouth, he let his tongue brush softly across Kyuzo's lips. Control was slipping away from him like sand through his fingers as he retracted his tongue and replaced it with his teeth, tugging Kyuzo's bottom lip into his mouth and sucking softly. His fingers tightened in Kyuzo's hair and his other hand came up to rest on his bare hip, a thrill shooting through him at the feeling of the warm bare skin beneath his fingers. Kyuzo jumped slightly at the touch, his lips parting, and Kambei took the opening to let his tongue sweep across Kyuzo's teeth.

It was then that he realized that, while he was enjoying himself immensely, Kyuzo wasn't reacting at all. He pulled back and opened his eyes to see Kyuzo, blank look locked in place, staring at Kambei's collar.

His stomach plummeted. He'd failed.

Studying Kyuzo's disinterested face, Kambei was drawn back to his lips, a soft pink from his ministrations. He leaned in again, pausing just before their mouths touched again, breathing the same air the other expelled.

_Just one more taste..._

His lips lingered lightly against the others, memorizing the feeling, then he let his tongue slip past Kyuzo's lips once again, but instead of encountering teeth like he'd been prepared for, his tongue met another. Curious but decisive as it pressed back against his own. Nothing could have stopped the low moan that erupted from Kambei at that moment. Kyuzo froze and start to pull back.

_No... not yet..._

He tightened his fingers in his silky blond locks and pressed closer, his other hand moving from its place on his hip around to press against his lower back. His tongue pressed against Kyuzo's more urgently, praying that the moment wasn't lost. After an excruciatingly long second, the other tongue swept across his in retaliation. He tasted like metal and something dark and sweet Kambei couldn't define.

His heartbeat was pounding in his ears as the tendrils of desire he felt before exploded into a tidal wave as he shifted closer, eliminating the scant space between them. Pressing himself to Kyuzo and basking in his warmth, wanting to push harder but heeding the reminder of broken ribs in the back of his lust fogged mind.

He took his time mapping Kyuzo's mouth, letting his tongue roam every nook and cranny as it pleased and tempting Kyuzo's own to do the same. He let his eyes open a fraction to see that Kyuzo had closed his and he felt his right hand come up to tentatively rest on the bicep of the arm Kambei had wrapped around him.

Not wanting Kyuzo to pass out from lack of air, he pulled back, letting their panting breaths mingle from an inch apart. Running the tip of his nose softly along his cheek and down to his pulse point, he stopped to let his tongue dart out and taste him. A shiver ran through Kyuzo and his hand tightened on his arm.

His skin was soft, vaguely salty and highly addictive. Kambei's mouth ran down the column of Kyuzo's throat, alternating between licking, sucking and biting.

The logical part of his mind was telling him this was enough, he'd gotten the reaction he'd wanted, he should stop. But when he brought his mouth back to Kyuzo's and was met with an eager tongue, that part was promptly kicked into a corner and locked away. And when Kyuzo pulled away and curiously let his own tongue run from the bottom of Kambei's exposed throat to the underside of his chin, he lost all reason. His vision fogged over and he let loose a half growl half groan as he tightened his grip on Kyuzo's hair, tipping his head back roughly as he claimed his mouth again. His left arm slid from its position on Kyuzo's lower back to fully wrap around him, pressing their hips together fully. He could feel Kyuzo's arousal against his thigh and was sure Kyuzo could feel his own against his lower stomach.

Suddenly Kyuzo went rigid and his right arm, which had been gripping Kambei's arm, came up and grabbed the front of Kambei's shirt, shoving him violently away. Kambei stumbled back, breathing heavily - dizzy and disoriented as he watched Kyuzo take two steps back and turn away. His hands were clenched and he could see a slight tremor running through his thin frame.

Kambei's breath caught at the sight of the bruises that covered his exposed skin. It was bad in the front, but it was much worse in the back. They spread out from above and below the bandages in a painful collage of blacks and purples. Guilt assaulted him for his carelessness.

"I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" The sound of his voice was rough and gritty, choked out between breaths.

"No." Kyuzo's voice was even more rough than Kambei's. Suddenly he turned and grabbed his swords. For one wild moment Kambei wondered if he was going to cut him down were he stood for his behavior. But Kyuzo just walked right past him, snatching his coat from its place next to the door and stepping into his boots.

"Kyuzo…"

"I'll keep watch. You should rest," he said, not turning around. "Don't follow me." And with that he was gone. By the time Kambei made it to the door, darkness that he hadn't even known had fallen had already swallowed Kyuzo, leaving not a trace.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** A couple quick notes here. First, don't ask me where Shichiroji's POV came from. I was just having a hard time deciding where to start this chapter and there he was all, "Hey, just let me take care of it!" *shrugs* Who can say no to that?

Also, bathing in Kanna. WTF? I have no idea what that situation is so I'm just going with a traditional Edo type bath on a tiny scale. We'll see how that works out....

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment

**Chapter 10**

Shichiroji made his way towards the samurai's hut with the idea of getting some sleep before his watch later that night. The rain had stopped, leaving a light mist in it's wake, which he was glad for. Nothing crappier than wandering between posts in the pouring rain. Well, there _were_ crappier things. Like dying. Or getting stabbed. Or shot. Or finding out the hot woman you picked up at the bar was actually a man. But it still wasn't fun.

_Now, screwing with Katsushiro's mind, that was fun._

The thought of the boys wide eyed look as he fled from the half dressed Kyuzo earlier still made him laugh. Gorobei had happened by the window near where Kyuzo was sleeping (or so he said, Shichiroji had his doubts that he had just been _wandering_ by and _happened_ to look in. Can you say "stalker"?) and saw the newly wakened samurai in his disheveled sex god state (Gorobei's choice of words). With the way the kid had been going on about Kyuzo since he returned from his scouting mission, they thought it'd be fun to present him with his new hero in such a situation. Even if that proved uneventful, Kikuchiyo had told them about how grumpy Kyuzo was when he just woke up, so either way, fun was to be had. And it seemed to have worked on both fronts, because to Shichiroji's eye's, the boy had looked both scared and turned on. He chuckled again. Poor Kirara, Kyuzo was stealing both her prospects.

Kambei probably wouldn't be so amused by their little joke though, they should probably keep it to themselves.

_Speaking of...._

Shichiroji stopped at the scene in front of him and mentally rubbed his hand together in glee. Kambei was standing in the entrance to the hut they'd been staying in looking out with glazed eyes and a very obvious hard on.

"Well, don't you look deliciously disheveled. You haven't been taking advantage of poor injured samurai, have you?"

His teasing grin slipped off as Kambei's guilty eyes turned toward him.

"Oh shit, were you really molesting him?! Was he awake? Because, if not, I don't think I'm OK with that. I might be able to turn a blind eye, because it's you but-"

"For God's sake, Shichiroji," Kambei rubbed his eyes in exasperation. "Of course he was awake. And I wasn't molesting him. It was mutual. Mostly."

"I can work with mostly. 'Mostly' doesn't mean 'he said no but I know he meant yes' right? Because again, I don't know if I'm cool with that…"

Kambei gave him a disgusted look and stepped out of the doorway, intent on walking away.

"Wait, wait, I'm sorry. What happened?"

_In detail, please._

Stopping a few feet away, Kambei ran a hand through his hair. "I think I may have just lost another battle."

"I thought you said it was mutual?"

"It was… I thought it was…"

Shichiroji didn't like hearing him like this. A confident man, Kambei rarely second guessed himself. Hearing this unsure tone from his longtime friend bothered him.

"Kambei…"

"I pushed too hard. I knew he'd run… But I couldn't stop," Kambei was still facing away from him, but he could see in his clenched hands the turmoil he was in.

Sinking down to sit in the doorway Kambei had vacated, Shichiroji took a deep breath and dropped his joking persona.

"You know yourself better than anyone I've ever met, Kambei. You know who you are, what you believe in, what you want. What about Kyuzo? Can you say the same about him? If it's like Heihachi said and he's trying to find footing on new terrain, what are you going to do about it? Are you just going to let him flounder? Are you going to let him step back to what he knew before? Or are you going to help him build something new to stand on?"

Slowly, Kambei's hands loosened and the tension left his body. He turned his head toward Shichiroji and smiled softly.

"Thank you."

Then he was gone.

Shichiroji stood and entered the hut, still intent on getting some sleep. Feeling rather pleased with himself, he stretched and yawned, a mischievous smile inching it's back onto his face.

_Besides, what fun would it be if he gave up now?_

* * *

Kambei made his way to the outskirts of the village. His first instinct was to follow Kyuzo and continue what they started. His erection, which had dwindled during his talk to Shichiroji sprang back to life at this idea as if to give it's approval. While the thought was appealing, Kambei knew it would be a bad idea to do so right now. He'd respect Kyuzo's wishes and let him try and sort things out for himself. For now.

He approached the tiny bathhouse and saw two women exiting.

"Ah, Great Samurai, you have good timing. The water's just been replaced and reheated."

"Thank you," he answered graciously and stepped into the room, bolting the door behind him.

The interior of the hut was dim, lit only by torches in each corner. The steam in the air was thick, a testament to the freshly heated water. It had no windows, both to preserve privacy and to trap the heat. The floor was set with wide slats that allowed for water drainage. One short stool sitting next to a low barrel of warmed water sat on the right side with bathing instruments and soap nearby on a small table. On the left was a large tub for soaking after you'd cleaned yourself.

Kambei removed his clothes quickly, folding them neatly and placing them on the shelf near the door. Taking a seat on the stool, he grabbed a large ladle of water and poured it over himself. He let his mind wander as he went through the familiar act of bathing. Specifically, he thought of Kyuzo and their earlier encounter. The scrubbing motion slowed as thoughts of what could have happened forced their way in. Flashes of Kyuzo under him, soft pale skin, and pleading moans bombarded him. His hand drifted down, capturing his painfully hard length. He had to bite down viciously on his tongue to stop a ragged moan from escaping. His hand worked as more thoughts of tight heat and delicious friction ebbed and flowed through his mind. It didn't take him long to reach completion, the image of Kyuzo arching underneath him in ecstasy did him in. He sat and caught his breath for a moment, then continued his bath.

As he lowered himself down into the hot water, a dark smirk curled his lips. For now it was just a fantasy. But tomorrow, he planned on making it more.

* * *

Kyuzo walked quickly from the village toward the forest, jerking his coat on as he went. His breath hitched as he was a little to rough with his healing shoulder, but he welcomed the pain. He tried to close the clasps but for the first time in his life, his hands were shaking. He stared at them in shock, thoughts tumbling over one another as he rushed away from the source of his confusion.

_I'm sexually attracted to Shimada Kambei._

The thought seemed ludicrous, but the proof was currently throbbing between his legs. While this was certainly not his first erection, it _was _the first time it had been caused by desire for someone else. To this point, he'd just considered it more of a morning chore to be taken care of than a source of enjoyment.

He was well aware of such things of course. He'd lived in a household with Ukyo for 5 years, whose unabashed acts in far from private places left little to the imagination in regards to sex. But knowing of it and feeling it for himself were two totally different things. Hormonal outbursts were not something that was tolerated in his fathers household. It showed a lack of control and that was a weakness. Weakness was unacceptable.

He stopped and tilted his head back, trying to let the soft mist calm his racing mind and cool his overheated body. His hand twitched in the desire to just unclasp his pants and find relief with his hand, but he refused. Somehow it felt like Kambei would be winning if he gave in to that action. His control had already slipped wildly this night and even if it was something as simple as denying himself release, it was a step towards reestablishing it.

What he really needed was a good fight.

_Maybe I should head back down the cliff...._

That was a horrendously bad idea.

And also very appealing....

He shook his head, he was in no condition to for that. Still, his feet carried him in that direction.

Against his will, his thoughts wandered back to those moments in the hut with Kambei. He'd so desperately tried to remain indifferent to Kambei's mouth and hands, and he'd almost succeeded. When Kambei had pulled back, he'd already lost his control in his mind and was only hanging onto it physically by a fraying thread. And when he'd kissed him again, it snapped and he'd given in. The need to know what the older man tasted like had overwhelmed him and he'd been unable to stop himself from curiously meeting the invading tongue with his own. After that everything was a jumbled mess of heat and confusion in his mind.

Had Kambei not accidentally put too much pressure on his bruises, drawing him back to himself with a burst of pain, he didn't know what would have happened. Well, he actually did know, but he didn't want to acknowledge it. Didn't want to admit to the fact that he would have continued to surrender his control to that man like that. When clarity had come back with the pain and he'd realized his own arousal was pressing against Kambei and vice versa, he'd panicked.

Panic, confusion, loosing control. What was happening to him?

He was furious with himself.

Stepping into the open air by the cliff's edge, he scrubbed his right hand over his face roughly. He jumped up on a protruding rock, masochistically pleased with the way it jarred his ribs and cleared his mind a bit. Sitting down, he adopted a meditative trance and pushed out all unwanted thoughts. Having a battle in his mind that he couldn't have with his body.

After about an hour, he was finally feeling more like himself. Hearing the soft approach of footsteps behind him, he opened his eyes and stood, turning around just as Heihachi stepped out of the forest.

"Kyuzo? What are you doing out here?"

"Watch," Kyuzo said simply.

"Watch what?" Heihachi asked in confusion, his head tipping to the side.

"I'm keeping watch," he clarified, slightly amused.

He hopped down and grunted with the sharp stab of pain that shot through him.

"You should be resting. The rest of us have the watch covered," Heihachi said, concern coloring his voice.

"I've slept enough," he answered, turning away. "I'll check the eastern post."

Heihachi chuckled, "OK but when Kambei comes out here to drag you back-" He stopped when he noticed that Kyuzo had frozen, his entire body going rigid.

"Uhh… did something happen between the two of you?" Heihachi guessed.

"No," he said with a little too much force. "There's nothing between us."

He heard Heihachi sigh behind him.

"Have you ever been happy, Kyuzo?"

He turned that question over in his mind. He supposed since he didn't know what happiness felt like, it was likely he'd never experienced it. Heihachi apparently took his silence as an answer.

"Why cling to simply _existing_ when you can _live_?"

"....it's all I know."

"Then maybe it's time to learn something new."

Kyuzo blinked. Hadn't that been why he'd agreed to take part in this war in the first place? To feel more alive? To explore the feelings he got when he had fought Kambei that first time? So why was he running now?

_Am I.... scared?_

His lip curled up in disgust. Of course he wasn't scared! How absurd. He was just ....overwhelmed. His newly regained control slipped a little as a tingle of excitement ran through him at the thought of continuing this....whatever it was with Kambei. Did he really want to remain as he'd been? Or did he want to finally commit to opening himself up to something new? Could he really go back now even if he wanted to?

"Maybe it is time," he answered quietly, disappearing into the dark.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, am not making any money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 11**

By the time the sun was peeking over the horizon, it's orange fingers dancing across the landscape, Kyuzo was feeling much better. As he'd wandered between posts he'd accepted what had happened between him and Kambei and prepared himself mentally for the unknown territory he was about to step into. He was equally anxious and eager to see what would come next.

The night had been quiet, still no sign of the Nobuseri. It wouldn't be much longer though, Kyuzo was sure. If it was smart, the remaining Raiden would attack tonight, using the darkness to their advantage. But being new to commanding, the Raiden may be hesitant to move in such conditions, he may wait until dawn. Either way, they'd be ready.

Funny how he'd been so eager for the fight before, but now he was wishing they had more time. The peaceful days here in Kanna were coming to an end for the samurai. He wondered what would come next. Probably a visit to the capital. That could be.... interesting. It had been a while since he'd been there.

Kyuzo closed his eyes and let the feeling of the newly risen sun chase away the nights chill on his skin. The only sounds were the soft rustle of the leaves from the slight breeze and excited chirping of the birds, probably glad to see the sun again after the long day of rain the day before. Such moments were exceedingly rare for him. Between his extensive training, the war and then his assignment as Maro's guard in the city, things like sitting and enjoying some peace and quiet was next to impossible.

All too soon his moment of tranquility was interrupted by approaching footsteps. Somewhat hesitant and trying desperately to be quiet. Katsushiro.

"Uh, Kyuzo?"

He was amused to note the voice came from a good distance away, apparently he wasn't risking getting too close again. Smart boy.

He turned and faced him, waiting for him to explain his presence, only to find the boy staring at his chest. Confused, he looked down. He was wearing his coat, still open. Even after his hands had stopped shaking he hadn't bothered to button it and a narrow strip of skin, then bandage, then skin again was visible.

_Is he really so fascinated by my injuries?_

Maybe he was rethinking his earlier impression that Kyuzo's actions were "amazing". After all, he did get injured. Kyuzo mentally shrugged, he really couldn't care less what Katsushiro thought of him.

"What is it," he more commanded than asked, not willing to simply wait for Katsushiro to come back to his senses.

"Oh! Um, Sensei wants to have a meeting about the upcoming battle," Katsushiro said, attempting to draw himself up and sound more professional. The affect was ruined by the blush staining his cheeks though.

"Hmm," Kyuzo responded blankly, walking past Katsushiro in the direction of the village.

Internally, the practically alien feeling of apprehension was writhing around his chest. What would it be like, being faced with Kambei after yesterday? Would the man be insulted? Would he take Kyuzo's actions as a rejection? If that were the case, then Kyuzo would just have to make sure to show him he'd changed his mind. He almost smirked, then he realized he didn't really know _how _to show him.

"What was it like down there?"

The question took a minute to filter in since his mind was so occupied with thoughts of Kambei, and even after it registered he still had no idea what Katsushiro was talking about. He had sped up to catch Kyuzo and was now struggling to keep up with the older samurai's longer stride. Kyuzo glanced down at him, tilting his head slightly to the side questioningly.

"Down in the canyon, what was it like?"

Ah, so the boy wanted to hear a story. Too bad for him Kyuzo wasn't much of a story teller.

"Foggy."

"Um, yes, but… I mean, how did you… when you know you're outnumbered like that, how do you keep your composure?"

Kyuzo listened to his stuttered question with waning attention. Did he want some kind of lesson here? The lessons Kyuzo learned were not ones that could be passed on to this boy. Katsushiro had learned of battle through theory, not by having his life threatened every moment of every day. Keeping his composure wasn't something he could teach him as it wasn't something he'd learned. It wasn't something he strove for, it was simply because he'd been in so many battles it was just second nature. It'd be like someone that had rarely eaten asking Katsushiro how he kept his composure when presented with a bowl of rice.

"It was necessary," he finally said, uninterested in explaining any further.

Kyuzo was amused to note that the boy was now nodding as if he'd been given some sage advice, mouthing the words 'it was necessary' to himself.

Katsushiro looked like he was gearing up for another question as they stepped into the village, so Kyuzo was glad when Kikuchiyo's loud voice interrupted him.

"Took ya long enough! We've been waitin' forever!"

His voice echoed around the silent village. Almost all of the residents were either currently in the fields, at one of the posts or training with their bows. The other five samurai were already there, some seated, some standing, around a small table.

Kyuzo's eyes went immediately to Kambei, who was watching their approach with an intense look. He didn't look too happy....

"Well, well, look at the two of you wandering in together. Isn't that sweet," Gorobei said with a shit eating grin.

Katsushiro automatically dove into a defensive speech about every step that he'd taken since the sun rose while Kyuzo simply stared at Kambei. The older man seemed to be searching his face for something, and apparently he liked what he found because his face softened and he smiled slightly.

"Enough, lets get to work," he said at last, his voice taking the authoritative ring of a commander.

For over an hour they poured over a map of the village and the surrounding area, trying to determine how the remaining bandits would attack and the best way to counter them. The arrow bombs were a large concern since nothing could really be done to stop them. If one of the samurai were around when one was fired and happened to have a bow in their hands, they'd be able to intercept it with an arrow, detonating it early, but it was very unlikely such a situation would unfold that way.

After they'd exhausted the possible scenarios and come up with a good solid strategy, Katsushiro asked the question that was on everyone's minds.

"Sensei, what about after the battle? What's next?"

"It would be imprudent to plan another battle when you have yet to win the one in front of you. There's no way to tell what circumstances may change between then and now."

Which they all knew was a polite way of saying, "We don't know who will still be alive".

"But," Kambei continued. "It will most likely involve retrieving the women from the Capital."

"But, we don't even know where the capital is," Katsushiro said, sounding disheartened.

"It moves," Kyuzo spoke up.

They looked at him questioningly, so he elaborated.

"It is the old flagship of the imperial fleet."

"How do you know that?" Shichiroji asked curiously.

"I've been there," he replied, being intentionally vague. After the Great War the Amanushi had called on him personally and assigned him the post as Ayamaro's bodyguard. The fact that the man they were currently fighting against thought so highly of Kyuzo seemed like an awkward thing to explain. So he didn't.

The others seemed to be about to explode with questions, but Kambei cut in with a simple, "That's good information to know."

Katsushiro's eyes were shining and he looked like he was about launch into some fawning, but Kambei quickly stopped him with an order to go and check if the farmers that were training needed any help. He seemed a little hesitant, then it must have dawned on him that training the farmers had previously been Kyuzo's job and he puffed up with importance and ran off. That led to Kikuchiyo somehow feeling like he was being ignored and loudly complaining about how he should be assigned a job too, so Kambei sent him off to check on all the posts.

It seemed like all of them let out a relived sigh after Kikuchiyo's clanking faded away.

"I'm glad you sent Katsushiro off before he could start kissing Kyuzo's feet," Shichiroji said with a laugh.

"Awww, come on, give the kid a break. He's still in that 'commanding officer awe' phase. Don't act like you didn't go through it. I was so completely impressed with one of my superiors when I first joined the war I followed him around like a puppy," Heihachi said.

"I bet you made a cute puppy!" Gorobei said with a laugh, making Heihachi pout.

"What about you Kyuzo? Did you have a puppy phase?" Shichiroji asked slyly.

"I had no commanding officer in my first battle," he said offhandedly. He wasn't really paying attention to them, his eyes were still roaming the map and his mind was still working with possibilities.

"What do you mean you didn't have a CO? What was your first battle like?" Gorobei asked curiously.

"Takagawa."

Finally he was drawn back to the conversation at hand, not by the words, but by the sudden silence. He looked up from the map to find all of them staring at him.

"Shit, talk about diving right into the deep end," Shichiroji said with no trace of his usual joking manner. He looked a little pale. "That was a blood bath."

Of that, Kyuzo was perfectly aware. He remembered creeping through one of the large compounds and the blood of his enemies literally flowing down the hallway like a river. He was more affected now by the memory than he was at the time, experiencing it first hand. He wondered briefly what that meant.

"Takagawa.... that had to be 8 or 9 years ago...." Heihachi's pensive voice broke through his musings.

"10," Kambei said. Kyuzo looked at him to find Kambei watching him with a speculative look. "How old were you?"

"13."

His eyes were on Kambei, so he was able to observe the slight widening of his eyes and clenching of his jaw. He heard Shichiroji curse from his left, but his eyes remained on Kambei. Intrigued by his reaction.

"Wh-why? You were so young!" Heihachi asked quietly, his own voice sounding young at that moment.

"I was ready," he replied evenly. And he had been. More than ready, actually. He'd actually been ready to join the war 6 months before that, but negotiations about the payment had delayed his leaving. He had been the most promising samurai to ever come from his house, a true prodigy, and his father wanted to make sure they were paid extremely well for his use.

"You should get some rest," Kambei's voice brought him out of his thoughts. There was a look on his face that he was unfamiliar with, but he decided now was not the time to explore such things so he just "hmm"'d an agreement and turned away. He could hear the others soft voices behind him and wondered briefly whether they were talking about him but then decided he didn't really care.

Despite his apathy, he felt oddly tense. He guessed it was due to the fact that he hadn't yet resolved things with Kambei. Deciding he wouldn't be able to sleep right then, he decided to go bathe, hoping the hot water would relieve his tension.

* * *

Kambei watched Kyuzo walk away, wanting nothing more than to follow him. That look of curiosity had been back in his eyes and Kambei wanted nothing more than to take advantage of it before it disappeared.

"I didn't join up until after Takagawa, but I heard the stories. Were any of you there?" Heihachi asked.

Gorobei shook his head. "Not me. I was stationed in the far east at the time."

"Kambei and I were in the west. We tried to get there, but.... we were too late," Shichiroji said quietly.

They had seen the aftermath though. Those images had been burned into Kambei's mind. Never before, nor since, had he seen devastation on such a massive level. The sheer amount of people that lost there lives in that battle was staggering. For both sides. No one won, it was a loss for everyone.

"Imagining a kid there.... That's just sick," Shichiroji said, his voice low.

"I imagine Kyuzo was never a 'kid'," Gorobei replied solemnly.

Kambei's thoughts were following the same path. Although he'd deduced what Kyuzo's childhood had been like already, hypothesizing and hearing from his own lips that he was in one of the most horrifyingly bloody battles in the last century when he was 13 were two totally different things. Kambei felt a wave of protectiveness surge through him.

Then there was the fact that he'd apparently been held in high enough esteem to be granted access to the Capital. Slowly he was gathering pieces of the puzzle, and he was eager to learn more. He wondered how long it would take to know everything about Kyuzo. Or if such a thing was even possible.

The appearance of Katsushiro carrying something toward the samurai's hut caught his attention. Hadn't he just sent him off not even 10 minutes ago? Why was he back already? He hadn't been happy to see the two of them arrive in the village together this morning. While he was positive Kyuzo's feelings for the boy could only be described as indifference, he was equally sure that Katsushiro's hero worship was bordering on a crush. Kambei started forward, intent on intercepting him.

"What do you have there, Katsushiro?"

The boy jumped when Kambei addressed him, making Kambei all the more suspicious.

"J-just some bandages for Ky-Kyuzo, from Lady Kirara. For his r-ribs," he stuttered out, sounding innocent but the red tinge across his cheeks gave him away.

"I'll take care of that, you have a job to be doing don't you," Kambei said sternly, walking right up to Katsushiro and taking the bandages from him.

Katsushiro stared at him for a moment, and Kambei wondered if he'd argue with him, but he didn't. He just nodded and rushed off with a "Yes, Sensei."

He turned toward the samurai's hut, expecting to find Kyuzo there sleeping, but the low burn of anticipation fizzled out when he stepped inside and the red clad samurai wasn't there. Confused, concerned and a little angry, he set off to find his errant samurai. He was sure he made it clear that he should rest.

As he rounded a corner, he found Gorobei and Shichiroji studying the map again.

"Have either of you seen Kyuzo?"

"Bathing," Gorobei supplied immediately with out looking up. Shichiroji on the other hand did look up, to cast Gorobei a disturbed and suspicious look.

"Don't be jealous because I'm a more astute samurai than you," Gorobei said smugly, apparently knowing the look Shichiroji was directing at him.

"That must be it," Shichiroji deadpanned.

Kambei shook his head at that two and left for the bathhouse. He was almost there when he heard Shichiroji call his name. Turning, he saw the other man jogging towards him. The evil grin on his face made him wish he hadn't stopped.

"Now, now, don't give me that look. I have a present for you," he said the last part in a sing-song voice as he pulled a small glass bottle out of his pocket and tossed it to Kambei.

Catching it easily, he studied it curiously. It was about the size of his palm and had a corked top, the clear liquid inside was almost all the way to the top but Kambei could still tell it was thicker than water. The image of a firefly was stamped on the front.

His eyes widened a bit as he realized what he was holding, and despite himself, a shot of pure anticipatory lust shot straight to his groin.

"You just carry this around with you?" He asked incredulously.

Shichiroji shrugged, still grinning, "Never know when you might need it."

Kambei snorted at his friends line of reasoning and turned back toward the bathhouse, dropping the bottle in his pocket.

"Thank you, I'll put it to good use," he called back, feeling a little giddy.

Shichiroji laughed. "I'm sure you will." And then he was gone, leaving Kambei standing outside the hut that he knew currently contained a naked Kyuzo.

He knocked, then backed up to stand on the step below the door.

"What," came the deep monotone reply from within.

Not discouraged in the least, Kambei answered, "I have fresh bandages for your ribs."

He waited with bated breath, but only silence answered him.

Just when he was starting to wonder if Kyuzo was really just going to ignore him, the door swung open, revealing the other samurai. His bandages were gone leaving his bruised torso exposed. A towel was hanging messily around his hips, only held in place by his left hand. He was looking down at Kambei blankly, wet strands of blond hair dripping water onto his bare shoulders. Kambei watched in fascination as one made it's way down his neck, caught the ridge of a collar bone and followed it's downward slope to the middle of his chest, there it continued its path, slowly sliding down the dip between his chest muscles and down his stomach.

Kambei leaned forward, uncaring that they were standing in plain sight of anyone that happened by, and bent to catch that drop of water with his tongue just before it hit Kyuzo's navel. He felt the muscles under his tongue go rigid as he let his mouth wander upwards, coming up to stand on the same level as Kyuzo so he could continue retracing the waters path. Practically standing on top of the younger man, he stopped at the collar bone to nip lightly, savoring the taste of his soft moist skin, then continued to Kyuzo's neck. Shallow panted breaths brushed his ear as he pulled back slowly.

When he finally pulled back enough to look in Kyuzo's eyes, he was not prepared for what he saw. Gone was any trace of indifference or confusion, instead Kyuzo's red eyes burned like an inferno. Somehow that look seemed to travel right through him burning a hot path down his throat and through his chest, tightening his stomach and finally reaching low to grab his cock, stroking it to life with invisible fiery fingers.

Suddenly Kyuzo's right hand shot out, grabbing Kambei's shirt as he had the day before. But instead of shoving him away, he jerked him forward, into the bathhouse. Surprised, Kambei stumbled in a bit clumsily. He turned to see Kyuzo bolting the door behind him.

The sight of his bruised back sent a spike of fury through him. Seeing the damage under the bandages was not something he'd been ready for.

_What the hell happened down there?_

He stepped forward running a feather light touch from Kyuzo's shoulder blades down to the top edge of the towel, letting his hand come to rest on his hip. His skin was warm and unbelievably soft. Kyuzo had jumped at the initial contact, but hadn't pulled away. He also hadn't turned around so Kambei wasn't sure whether he should be encouraged or not.

He stepped closer, bending to let his words ghost over the back of Kyuzo's neck, his lips barely grazing his skin as they moved.

"Are you in any pain?"

Kyuzo didn't answer, instead he slowly turned around, letting Kambei's hand graze over his lower back and come to rest on the opposite hip once he was facing him. His face was blank, but his eyes still held the fiery look of before, now mixed with curiosity and determination. He stepped closer, his chest touching Kambei's, then slid upwards, body stretching until his lips were pressed against the taller mans.

Kambei was frozen, surprised at both at the fact Kyuzo was initiating the contact and that the kiss was so soft and chaste. He returned the pressure lightly, letting his thumb brush soothing circles on Kyuzo's hip. Tipping his head slightly to the side, he slowly opened his mouth, his lips encouraging Kyuzo to do the same. After a second of hesitation he did and Kambei let his tongue dip inside, just barely brushing Kyuzo's before pulling back. Teasing and tempting him into something more. It worked, Kyuzo pressed himself closer, his tongue seeking out Kambei's again, and the hand not holding the towel up came to rest lightly on Kambei's stomach. A shudder ghosted through him at the intimate touch and the hand that had been resting on Kyuzo's hip traveled up his side, caressing softly as it went. His other hand carelessly dropped the bandages to the side before coming up to brush over Kyuzo's throat and traveling back to tangle in his wet hair, tugging his head back to allow him better access to his mouth.

The smell Kyuzo coiling around him combined with the thick heat in the air was making him lightheaded and he could feel his control slipping away. He tried to pull back, but his body refused to move, all he was able to do was release Kyuzo's lips.

"I don't think I'll be able to stop if-" His voice sounded pathetic and breathy to his own ears, but he didn't care.

"Don't stop."

The reverberations of that deep voice echoed though both his chest where it was pressed against Kyuzo's and his mind where their meaning was slowly being processed. Once those words registered, Kambei dove for Kyuzo's lips again, pressing him backwards until he hit the door. Kyuzo jerked his mouth away, sucking in a breath that sounded suspiciously like a curse.

Kambei felt like a bucket of cold water had just been thrown on him. He untangled himself from the other man and stepped back.

"I'm sorry. I hurt you again, I-"

Another mouth pressing to his cut off his guilt fueled rambling.

"It's fine."

"It's not fine!" Kambei insisted vehemently, making Kyuzo's eyes widen a bit. Kambei forced his voice down, "It's not fine for me to hurt you."

Kyuzo watched him silently, and finally said, "I was mostly surprised. Just watch the ribs."

As Kyuzo reached slowly for him again, he was amused by the fact that it looked like Kyuzo was afraid Kambei would be the one to run away this time.

Their lips met again, Kambei's hands finding their way back to Kyuzo's hair and side, Kyuzo's hand gripping the loose white material near Kambei's chest. Slowly their kiss became more heated again, the former passion restored. Kambei's mouth pulled away only to latch itself to Kyuzo's throat, drawing a sharp inhalation from him. That one sound shot straight through Kambei and the hand that been previously resting on Kyuzo's hip slid down over the towel, gripping his ass and pressing their hips together. The sound of Kyuzo's soft groan and the feeling of him pressed hot and hard against his thigh tore at his restraint. He began pressing him backwards again, careful this time to not push him against the door so roughly. He felt Kyuzo tugging at his clothing and quickly began helping pull the complicated white garments off, his mouth latched onto Kyuzo's again.

Soon Kyuzo's long thin fingers where brushing against the flesh of his chest, both hands pushing his shirt off his shoulders and letting it hit the floor.

_Both hands...._

The thought whispered into his overheated mind and he pulled his mouth away from where it had been running over Kyuzo's throat. He glanced down to see that the only thing holding the towel up was the way their two bodies were pressed together. The feeling of Kyuzo's hands exploring his chest and stomach drew his attention away from the fascination of the towel. Warm long fingers ran lightly over his chest, combing through the sparse hair there and brushing lightly over the large scar that lay beneath. Kambei's eyes slipped closed and his head fell back as Kyuzo explored, breath hitching as calloused palms dragged down his abdomen, seemingly memorizing every dip and line. Suddenly a wet warmth swept over his right nipple. His eyes shot open and his hips bucked forward instinctually. His eyes landed on Kyuzo who was watching his face in interest. Eyes still locked together, the blond leaned forward again, letting his tongue run over the brown nipple one more time, then nipping it slightly.

Kambei's vision fogged over and he jerked Kyuzo's head back, plundering his mouth ruthlessly and pressing him harder against the door. Kyuzo responded just as heatedly, his hands drifting down to Kambei's pants. Not removing his mouth from Kyuzo's, he toed off his shoes and helped discard the last of his clothing, the towel falling away from between them at the same time.

The pants hit the ground with a thump, drawing Kambei's attention and reminding him of the bottle in his pocket. He smirked and pulled back from Kyuzo, amused and aroused at the sight the other man made. His blond hair had started to dry in odd directions and his cheeks were unfamiliarly flushed, lips pink and swollen and half-lidded eyes that were almost black with passion. His pale skin contrasted starkly with the dark door he was leaning against. Kambei let his eyes wander down his newly exposed form as he felt Kyuzo do the same to him. His thin frame was much lighter than Kambei's, lean and lightly muscled. All long limbs and pale skin. His erection bobbing lightly against his stomach, practically begging for attention.

Kyuzo watched him curiously as Kambei dropped into a crouch in front of him. He sifted through his pockets until he found the glass bottle. Not one to waste a move, Kambei shifted closer, letting his breath ghost over Kyuzo's length. It twitched in response and he could see Kyuzo clenching his fists at his sides. Opening his mouth, he let his tongue run along it once from base to tip, enjoying the choked gasp it wretched from the younger man. He wanted to take him in his mouth, but he wasn't sure how much more Kyuzo could handle, this being his first time, and he wanted to be inside of him when he came.

He stood slowly, letting his breath wash over Kyuzo's stomach, chest and throat before he was standing at his full height, leaning slightly over him. Reaching over, he sat the bottle down on the shelves to the right of the door. He brought both his hands up to Kyuzo's sides, gripping him slightly as he brought his mouth down to the other mans. Tongues brushed and teeth nipped and Kambei pressed closer. The moment their erections brushed, Kyuzo arched, giving a breathy gasp as they were pressed more firmly together. Kambei ran his hands down Kyuzo's sides and down his backside, gripping him firmly and lifting. Kyuzo's eyes shot open, but he didn't fight the motion as Kambei pressed him into the door as gently as he could and ran his hands down the backs of his thighs, guiding his legs around his hips. Kyuzo's hands came up to Kambei's shoulders tightly as their arousals were caught together between their stomachs.

Kambei reached for the bottle now, the pop of the cork being released was barely noticeable over their harsh breaths. Tipping it slightly, he let the liquid coat his fingers. His hand drifted back behind Kyuzo and brushed his slick fingers lightly over his opening. The reaction was instantaneous. Kyuzo went board stiff in his arms and his breathing stopped altogether. Kambei stopped but didn't pull away, he just let his fingers rest there. He pressed a soft kiss to Kyuzo's chest.

"Trust me."

Slowly the tension ebbed away and Kambei applied more pressure. He could feel the battle in Kyuzo, his muscles were actually trembling, a war between his will and his instincts. He brought his other hand between them, gripping Kyuzo's shaft and slowly pumping it, easing him into a more relaxed state. It worked and the tight ring of muscle that had denied his finger entrance before loosened, allowing him to press forward. Kyuzo's breath hitched and Kambei kept his movements slow as he searched for that one special spot. Suddenly Kyuzo's eyes went wide and a ragged groan ripped from his throat as he arched, seeming unsure whether to press back onto Kambei's finger or forward into his hand.

_Beautiful...._

Kambei's own cock twitched at the erotic image in front of him. He took the opportunity to slide in a second finger, not sure how much longer he could wait. By the time he slipped in the third, Kyuzo was panting, his head tipped back and pressed against the door. Kambei leaned forward, licking a path up his curve of his throat as he removed his fingers. Kyuzo looked at him, brows furrowed with what Kambei hoped was disappointment at the loss.

Kambei grabbed Kyuzo's thighs, shifting their position so his erection wasn't trapped between them anymore. Then grabbed the bottle again and poured a generous amount on his straining length. The anticipation was making him lightheaded as he carelessly replaced the bottle.

Lining himself up with Kyuzo's entrance, he started applying steady pressure, his hands on Kyuzo's hips. Kyuzo went still again, his fingers digging into Kambei's shoulders almost painfully.

"Don't tense up," Kambei said, his voice a rough growl, not seeming very reassuring at all to his own ears.

But Kyuzo listened and Kambei slowly entered him. He made a small sound of discomfort and went still again, but his body stayed relaxed.

"Breathe," Kambei whispered, realizing the other was holding his breath again.

Soon Kambei was seated fully inside of him. He didn't dare move. He could barely breathe. It was so tight it was almost painful, like being squeezed by a hot, velvety vice. He rested his head on Kyuzo's chest as he fought for breath. When Kyuzo shifted, whether out of discomfort or impatience he wasn't sure, it made his vision blur and drew a growl out of him. Unable to keep still himself any longer, he pulled back slowly, unfortunately his control was too far gone to re-enter as the same pace and his hips snapped forward on their own.

A choked cry erupted from Kyuzo as he arched against Kambei, the hand of his left shoulder pulling him closer while the one on the right pushed him away. Kambei repeated the action, amazed in the transformation in Kyuzo. It made him feel powerful. Having the ability to make someone as controlled and volatile as Kyuzo writhing beneath him, his body begging for more, his control forgotten.

Sweat dampened skin slid back and forth in an erotic dance as the pace picked up. It wasn't long before Kyuzo's entire body went taut, muscles clenching and arching, and a long low moan dragged out of him as he came, splattering both of their stomachs. The feeling of Kyuzo's muscles clamping down and shuddering around him was more than Kambei could handle. He gripped Kyuzo's hips tightly, loosing all sense of rhythm as he came hard enough to white out his vision for a second.

They stayed that way, locked together against the door, muscles shaking and breathing labored. He pulled his face back from where it had been pressed into Kyuzo's neck and was unable to stop the grin from spreading across his face as he took in Kyuzo's wide eyed stunned look. Finally Kambei pulled out, gently lowering Kyuzo to the floor. He swayed slightly so Kambei slid an arm around him, taking the chance to steal a chaste kiss from the disoriented man.

He opened his mouth, intending to tease him about his current state, but before he could get the words out, someone knocked on the door.

They both froze with uncharacteristically startled looks on their faces as they stared at one another.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So.... that was a little long.... and detailed.... But hopefully not disappointing! Also, sorry for any mistakes, I'm going to be busy for the next few days and wanted to get this posted before then, so I didn't really get a chance to go over it as thoroughly as I would have liked.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 12**

Shichiroji was just minding his own business, going to get some food, when he spotted Gorobei. Or at least that's the story he'd tell if anyone asked about these events later on. The older samurai was crouched down behind a hut, peeking around the corner. Apparently spying on some scene that Shichiroji couldn't see from where he was. Which was unacceptable.

_Because I might be missing something interesting._

Making sure to stay completely silent, he crept up behind him.

"Gorobei?"

"Nothing!" The other man said immediately, spinning around with his eyes wide. "I mean… what?"

"Yeah, not suspicious at all. What are you up to?" Shichiroji asked. Then his seriousness melted away into a mischievous smile. "And if it's anything good, I want in." He leaned around the other man to see what he was looking at. His mouth fell open and his eyes widened as he saw Kirara knocking on the bathhouse door.

"Kirara asked where everyone else was and I told her to check the bathhouse," Gorobei whispered next to him, completely abandoning his falsely innocent look for one of pure malicious glee.

"Oh shit! Kambei's in there!"

Gorobei's smile widened, "I know."

"With Kyuzo!"

Gorobei nodded, his smile still a little too huge. "Uh huh."

"Why didn't you stop her?!"

"Why would I stop her? The whole reason I sent her out here in the first place is so I could watch what happened."

"You are so evil," but even as he said it, he squatted down in a more comfortable position to watch.

Unfortunately, they were too far away to hear what was being said, all they could make out was the distant sound of Kirara's voice. Suddenly she stepped back away from the door as if she'd been burned, then went very still.

"Oh hell…" Shichiroji muttered, enthralled despite himself.

Then she turned an sprinted away from the bathhouse, her face bright red and the two hiding samurai jerked back behind the hut so they wouldn't be seen.

"So… I think she knows," Gorobei said.

Giving him the 'no shit, really?' look, Shichiroji felt guilt rolling around inside of him. "She's hurt. You shouldn't have sent her out there. You know just as well as I do how she feels about Kambei."

"I didn't see you jumping out there stopping her. Besides, she was going to be hurt either way. At least this way we got some entertainment out of it," Gorobei responded ruthlessly.

_Well.... he kind of has a point...._

Gorobei's eyes took on a shifty look. "I wonder when Katsushiro's coming back...."

* * *

The knock at the door didn't really help Kyuzo regain his senses. Instead, it made the whole situation seem a little more surreal. Most of him was still trying to cope with what had just happened. What he'd allowed. What he'd initiated. He felt as if his head was too full and an unfamiliar sensation of sated warmth was flowing through his limbs. Kambei was staring back at him, the wide eyed look on his face probably mirrored by his own.

'_Answer,'_ Kambei mouthed at him.

'_You,'_ he mouthed back.

They scowled at each other for a moment before Kyuzo finally conceded.

"Yes?" He was glad he was able to keep his voice steady.

"I just wanted to let you know the food was ready," Kirara answered.

"Thank you," Kyuzo answered. Relieved that the girl would be leaving now.

A dark smirk was creeping onto Kambei's face that Kyuzo didn't trust at all. His eyes widened as the larger man pressed him against the door again, one hand brushing down his stomach and then cupping him gently . Kyuzo sucked in a ragged breath.

"Kyuzo? Are you alright?" Kirara's worried voice called through the door.

"Fine," Kyuzo answered back, still able to keep his voice even.

Kambei's mouth was now on Kyuzo's neck. Hot and moist, it worked it's way down, catching a nipple and sucking hard. Kyuzo let out a choked moan.

"Are you sure? You sound like you're in pain."

"It's nothing," he answered back, his voice sounding a little shaky now.

Kambei looked at him, an eyebrow raised.

'_Nothing?'_ he mouthed, a challenge in his eyes.

Kambei was on his knees before Kyuzo could blink and suddenly his semi-hard length was pulled into a mind shattering mix of softness, heat and suction. His knees went weak and he bit his tongue viciously, tasting blood. But he wasn't completely able to stop the moan from escaping.

"Kyuzo, you really don't sound well. Are you-"

"I'm fine," he snapped. He hadn't meant to sound so rude, but it was almost impossible to concentrate on anything but the amazing things Kambei was currently doing with his mouth. Kambei himself was looking up at him with eyes that looked entirely too amused and pleased with himself.

Kyuzo's hands fisted painfully at his sides, he wanted to tangle them in Kambei's hair, but somehow that felt like it would be a loss. That giving in would mean Kambei won this odd inappropriately timed game he was playing.

"Do you happen to know where Kambei is?"

He'd actually thought she'd gotten the hint and left already; apparently not. He didn't know how much longer he was going to be able to maintain his silence.

He felt the mouth on him smirk and suddenly a nasty thought struck him.

_If he wants to play...._

"He's in here," answered back smoothly, watching as Kambei froze and his wide eyes jerked up to his.

"....in there?"

"Yes, he's currently-" Kambei's hand replaced his mouth and squeezed. Hard.

"Ah! Fuck!" Kyuzo gritted out, his right hand grabbing Kambei's wrist in an attempt to get him to release him.

_What happened to it not being OK to hurt me?!_

After an awkward naked struggle that reminded Kyuzo of his broken ribs, he had gotten Kambei to release him, but was now pinned tightly to the door with the other mans hand over his mouth.

_Is that the same hand he-_

Just as Kyuzo was starting to seriously consider breaking Kambei's arm, the larger man stepped back and released him. He turned away and ran a hand through his long hair. Kyuzo took the opportunity to wipe at his mouth with the back of his wrist. He vaguely noted that Kirara's presence had disappeared from the other side of the door.

When Kambei turned back, his body was still stiff with anger, but his eyes were dark with sadness.

"You did that to deliberately hurt her."

Kyuzo cocked his head to the side.

_Hurt her? What a curious thought...._

"No. She is inconsequential. It's only your reactions I'm interested in," he said, watching hungrily as Kambei's eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in anger, then finally settled on a softer look that Kyuzo was unfamiliar with. He didn't know what it meant, but it made him uncomfortable somehow.

Deciding to ignore it and get on with his bath, he pushed himself away from the door and strode by Kambei silently, aware of the other mans eye's on him. He reached for the ladle of water and his breath caught as pain shot through his chest. Getting fucked up against a door apparently wasn't a good activity for someone with broken ribs. Go figure. And that wasn't the only part of him that was sore. There was a dull pain in his lower half and he felt oddly empty. Not to mention the ache between his legs where his erection was still waiting for Kambei to finish what he'd started. Kyuzo wasn't sure letting Kambei's mouth near such a tender area anytime soon was such a good idea though....

He reached for the ladle again, this time with a little more care, but a larger darker hand beat him to it. Kambei pressed up against his back, one hand reaching around him to scoop up some water and the other coming to rest lightly over Kyuzo's broken ribs. He went still at the touch and had to keep himself from jerking Kambei's hand away from such a vulnerable spot.

"I'm sorry, I should have been more careful," he laid a light kiss on Kyuzo's shoulder. "I seem to lose my common sense when I'm around you."

He wanted to tell him it was fine, that he'd endured far greater pain that some jostled broken ribs, but Kambei seemed to get angry when Kyuzo waved off his injuries. Instead, he decided to aim the conversation somewhere else, and while it might also lead to Kambei's renewed anger, he was curious.

"You're no longer upset about the girl?"

"It is pointless to be mad at you for reasons you wouldn't understand. I just wish she hadn't been hurt," Kambei answered, pouring the water over Kyuzo's shoulders and letting it run down his body. Kyuzo closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of the cooling water on his overheated body. But while his body was relaxing, his mind was still working, bothered by something.

"Why?" He finally asked as Kambei poured more water over him.

Kambei stilled for a moment before replacing the ladle.

"....are you jealous?"

Jealous? Was that what this was? It was similar to what he felt when Kambei had his hand on Kirara on the cliff face.

_Che, no. I was not jealous. _

"Don't worry, you're the only one I want," he said huskily, his hand trailing down Kyuzo's stomach, down to wrap his hand around his still rigid length.

Something loosened in Kyuzo's chest at those words. His body was a different story, it tightened and he arched into Kambei's hand, he could feel the larger man's newly awakened erection pressing into his lower back. Kyuzo still had his eyes closed and was enjoying the sensation of Kambei's rough hand pulling on him in increasing speed while his mouth started laying hot open mouthed kisses down his spine. He heard the light scrape of the stool behind them as Kambei placed one last kiss to his lower back and sat down. Then he brought both of his hands to Kyuzo's hips and tugged him back. Kambei's knees hit the backs of his legs, nudging them apart and the pulling his hips down, guiding him to sit on his lap.

Kyuzo was stiff and hesitant. Having his back to Kambei, being in such a vulnerable position, it went against his instincts. But as Kambei reached around him and grabbed the soap, lathering it slowly onto his chest, his complaints about the position were forgotten. Kambei's skilled hands wasted no time drifting down in between Kyuzo's legs again, one soap slicked hand working his length while the other rested on his inner thigh, tugging his legs further apart.

Kyuzo only vaguely noticed the hand disappearing, focused as he was on the one currently torturing him with long slow pulls. He did notice when Kambei positioned himself at his entrance again, easing himself in. There was one moment of pain, but it disappeared quickly, his body still stretched and his insides still slippery from the oil and Kambei's fluids.

The first time, Kyuzo had been too overwhelmed by all the new and different sensations to really pay attention to what it felt like. He knew there'd been pain and an awkward feeling of intrusion, but there had also been such unbelievable pleasure and a completeness he didn't know he'd been missing until that moment. Now though, he could feel every inch of Kambei inside of him, velvet wrapped iron, soft yet unforgiving. He grabbed the dark, muscled legs that were currently between his own, needing something to grip as Kambei filled every inch of him. He gasped as that one spot was brushed and pushed back against him hard, trying to find it again. Kambei half groaned and half cursed at the action, his hands shooting to Kyuzo's hips and pushing him forward only to jerk him back again. This time, that elusive spot was hit straight on and Kyuzo moaned loudly as white specks danced across his vision. They continued the dance of push and pull, each thrust coming faster and harder than the last. Kyuzo's ribs were aching fiercely but that discomfort was easily pushed to the side each time a new wave of pleasure washed over him.

Suddenly his foot slipped out from under him and he was sent crashing back onto Kambei at an odd angle. There was a sharp pain as Kambei impaled him brutally, but somehow it ratcheted up his pleasure and he groaned, pushing back into Kambei even harder. Kambei himself seemed to loose any kind of control at this point. What sounded like the growl of some large predator vibrated through Kyuzo's back and he was sure he felt teeth sink into the soft flesh near the back of his neck. The other mans hands slid from Kyuzo's hips up his front, stopping when his forearms where flush against the smaller mans chest and his hands were now gripping the tops of his shoulders near his neck. Then he stood, his legs still forcing Kyuzo's apart as he bent him over. Kyuzo's hands shot out, gripping the nearby barrel of water to keep his balance. Not being hindered by the stool anymore, Kambei's thrusts were quick and harsh, his hot breath panting over the back of Kyuzo's neck.

Kyuzo was oblivious to anything but the pleasure currently coursing through him. The harsh pounding of Kambei's hips was somewhat painful, but he found himself pushing back against each thrust anyway. Kambei's length was currently rubbing directly against that erotic spot and that's all he cared about. He came hard, splattering the floor in front of him as his legs buckled, held up only by Kambei. The other man only managed to outlast him by three more thrusts before he went rigid and buried himself as deeply as he could in Kyuzo.

Kambei collapsed back down on the stool again, taking Kyuzo with him. They stayed like that, in a boneless heap together for quite a while. Kyuzo felt oddly content with Kambei's warmth pressed into his back. Which was surprising given how distrustful he was of the position to begin with. His eyes were actually beginning to droop when Kambei gripped his waist and lifted him off of him, then lowered him lightly back to the stool as he stood. Kyuzo tipped his head back to look at him. The look on Kambei's face made something warm flutter in his chest. He was looking down at him with soft eyes and a tiny smile, then he reached forward and lightly brushed his wild blond hair from his face. He brought his lips down in what should have been an awkward upside down kiss, but somehow they fit together perfectly.

Kyuzo watched in a kind of detached curiosity as Kambei walked around him to get another ladle full of water. He poured the first two scoops over himself and Kyuzo watched with a little more interest as the water ran over his body, making every dip and muscle stand out in beautiful clarity. The next two scoops of water he poured over Kyuzo, then he picked up the soap again and proceeded to wash the younger man as if it were something they'd always done.

"I can wash myself," Kyuzo said, not really wanting him to stop, but feeling like he should say so anyway.

"I'm aware of that," Kambei answered, offering no more explanation.

He shrugged and gave into just enjoying the feeling of Kambei's hands. When they started working the soap into his hair, he let out a low sound of pleasure and contentment. All too soon (in Kyuzo's opinion) Kambei was rinsing the soap from him. He felt the hands in his hair pause for a moment then continue combing through it to help the water wash away the soap. When Kambei put the ladle back he went back behind Kyuzo and squatted down, running his hand lightly over the back of Kyuzo's bruised left shoulder.

"You have a scar here," Kambei said softly, close enough that his breath washed over said scar.

"Hmm," Kyuzo grunted, well aware that he had a scar there. Did the man think he was telling him something he didn't know?

"I didn't notice it before, because of the bruising. What's it from?" He asked curiously.

"Training," Kyuzo answered back blandly.

"It looks old."

"It is."

"How old?" He could hear something odd in Kambei's voice, but couldn't place it. Why the man cared about an old scar was something else he didn't understand, but he decided to humor him.

"I was seven."

He could feel the sudden tension in the body behind him as it traced the line of the scar from the top of his shoulder near his neck down the back to under his arm.

"What happened?" Kambei's voice sounded oddly tight and Kyuzo turned his face slightly so he could see his face. His eyes were a little intense but otherwise he had his normal placid expression.

Kyuzo shrugged, "I was just learning to use two blades. I was left handed and relied on that arm too much."

Kambei had gone still and silent behind him. Finally he said in a soft voice, "So you were injured to force you to learn to use the right proficiently."

"Hmm," Kyuzo nodded. "It was effective."

Kambei's hands were now drifting down his back, stopping in places where Kyuzo knew there to be other scars. Now that he was looking for them, Kyuzo guessed they'd be easy to pick out.

"There's a lot of them, but they're very faint," Kambei said at last.

"They are old," Kyuzo answered indifferently. He was getting drowsy.

Finally Kambei's hands stilled and his head came to rest on Kyuzo's back. His voice was almost inaudible, but Kyuzo was still able to make out the soft words.

"I'm so sorry."

Kyuzo's head tilted in confusion. "Why?"

Kambei sighed and climbed to his feet. "Never mind."

He walked around and proceeded to wash himself quickly and proficiently, not showing his own body nearly the amount of reverence that he'd shown Kyuzo's. He had a sudden urge to take the soap from him and return the favor, but that intention was washed away in another wave of lethargy.

"I need to go and check the posts. You stay, you need to soak for a while or you'll be very sore later on," Kambei said, his face was innocent, but his eyes were a dark amusement.

Kyuzo watched as he dried himself and pulled his clothes back on, wishing the other man could stay.

Kambei smirked, "Don't fall asleep and drown."

_On second thought...._

Kyuzo's eyes narrowed and he had the completely irrational urge to throw something at the man. As if reading his thoughts, Kambei laughed and he quickly left the bathhouse.

* * *

Kambei was tired. He was definitely getting too old for this. Staying for that second round probably hadn't been the best of ideas. The long day ahead of him filled with checking on posts and preparations before the battle exhausted him just thinking about it. But, he thought with a smirk, it had been completely worth it.

He couldn't remember ever enjoying himself as much as he had with Kyuzo over these last few hours. And only part of it had been the mind blowing sex. Watching the emotions and reactions being discovered by normally rigidly controlled indifferent man was fascinating and left Kambei with a deep feeling of accomplishment.

There was still much for him to learn though. The smile slid of Kambei's face as he remembered Kirara. He knew now that Kyuzo hadn't meant to purposely hurt her but his complete disregard for her feelings was disconcerting. And that he saw nothing at all wrong with that was even more troubling. Much like his acceptance of his treatment as a child. To him, everything that he was put through was necessary, just a step in his assembly as a living weapon. Seeing all those old scars had made Kambei furious. He'd fought to keep an outward calm, not wanting to show how upset he was in the fear Kyuzo would stop talking, but internally he'd felt a fiery rage like he hadn't felt in years.

The scar on his shoulder, although barely noticeable now due to age and what Kambei was sure was top of the line medical treatment, must have been a hideous wound when it occurred, probably nearly severing his arm. All in the name of making him a more deadly killer. How many other stories like that did he have? What other horrors had been inflicted on him in the name of 'training'? He shook his head, trying to fight off the mounting fury before it took hold. There was nothing he could do about it now. He'd just have to show Kyuzo he was worth more as person than as a weapon. Like that would be easy....

He rounded the corner to see Shichiroji coming towards him. The other man stopped as soon as he laid eyes on him, then promptly burst out laughing. As Kambei got closer, he attempted to reign in his amusement, and managed to do so enough to choke out: "Y-You look like you just got sexed within an inch of your life!" before falling victim to another laughing fit.

"Have you seen Kirara?" He asked, ignoring Shichiroji's comment.

Shichiroji sobered up at the mention of the water priestess. "Uh, yeah, she's in there making rice balls," he said nodding a hut to the left with an uncomfortable look on his face.

Kambei sighed, apparently his old friend had already figured out something had happened with the girl.

"She happened to come knocking at an inopportune time. I'm afraid her feelings have been hurt," Kambei explained, feeling guilty once again for what had happened.

"I know. I mean, that's what I figured happened," Shichiroji answered, not looking at Kambei. He thought it was odd, his friend would usually take advantage of a time like this to tease him unmercifully. Kambei narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but before he could question it further, the girl in question stepped out of the hut.

Kirara's face turned bright red when she saw Kambei and he remembered Shichiroji's comment about him looking "sexed".

_Could this get any more awkward?_

As if summoned, Katsushiro appeared. He stared at Kambei then Kirara, and then back again, before his own face went red.

"Uh, is something going on here?" He sounded angry, and Kambei internally balked at the idea the boy had somehow connected his own disheveled look to the water priestess's embarrassment. He could see Shichiroji from the corner of his eye, watching the scene unfold in fascination.

_One thing at a time._

"Katsushiro, you should-" He'd been about to tell the boy to go get some rest, but then realized Kyuzo would probably be heading to the same place to get some sleep soon. "-go relieve Heihachi, tell him to get some rest," he finished with barely a pause.

The boy was still looking suspicious, "Kirara, is everything alright here."

Kambei felt a flash of irritation. Did he actually thinking he was behaving inappropriately toward the water priestess? Making her uncomfortable? Well, he probably was making her uncomfortable, but not for the reasons Katsushiro obviously thought. How disrespectful....

"Everything's fine, Katsushiro," the priestess finally answered, the blush fading from her face as she smiled kindly at him. He seemed to believe her and left with one last searching look at Kambei.

_One down, one to go._

"Shichiroji, you have somewhere else to be now."

"What? No, I don't. Where?"

"Anywhere that's not here. Go."

Shichiroji's huffed in disappointment but shuffled off nonetheless.

Deciding to jump right in and get it over with, Kambei spoke first.

"I sincerely apologize for what happened earlier. The situation was completely inappropriate and I apologize for making you uncomfortable," he said earnestly, bowing low before her. He deliberately left out any mention of her feelings for him, it would probably make her feel better if she had no idea he knew of them.

After a brief silence, she answered. "There's no need to apologize, Great Samurai. You can't help who you have feelings for. It was simply an unfortunate accident I found out as I did. I'm sorry for invading your privacy."

He could tell that she meant it, even if her voice was much cooler toward him than what he was used to. As awkward as it was, it was probably better that things between them were forced to a more professional relationship.

He straightened up and offered his kindest grin, "No apology necessary. Now, would it be alright if I got something to eat before I went out to check on the progress?"

She smiled back at him though her eyes looked a little sad, "Of course."

* * *

**Author's Note:** For someone who wasn't sure if they were going to be able to write any sex scenes, I sure stuffed a lot of graphic smut into these last two chapters, huh? And then I was so mean to poor Kirara. I think my muse took a holiday and paid a horny little demon to take it's place for a little while....

I just wanted to pop in and say that updates are going to slow down now. The pace that I was going at was fine when this was all I was working on, but I have other stories I need to get back to now. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep a once a week schedule on this fic though.

Also want to thank everyone that's reading, it makes me warm inside to peek at the traffic page and see that people are interested. And I especially want to thank those of you that are reviewing, I love hearing what you think about what's going on!


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 13**

Kyuzo woke as the sun was setting. He blinked at the darkening ceiling, trying to get his foggy mind working. Even though his internal clock had woken him, he was still tired. Not to mention sore and disoriented. It turned out that Kambei's warning of not falling asleep and drowning in the tub had actually had merit, he'd found his eyes drifting shut multiple times as he'd soaked in the warm water. The only thing he really remembered about coming back to the hut was a fierce concentration on not limping. Sleep must have claimed him as soon as his head hit the pillow.

And he'd dreamt. Usually he didn't remember any dreams upon waking, but this time he recalled soft touches and softer words; warmth and contentment; a peace he hadn't even know existed. He yearned to go back to sleep, to try and recapture that feeling.

The soft breathing of another person filtered into his brain and he turned to see Heihachi sleeping soundly a few pallets away. He was disconcerted by the fact he hadn't sensed his arrival at all. Pushing himself into a sitting position, he took a quick physical inventory. Only a dull ache emanated from his shoulder, the bruises actually hurt more at this point than the former dislocation. His ribs, on the other hand, were still viciously painful. The "activities" earlier that day had definitely not been helpful on that front. He also vaguely noted that sitting was not exactly comfortable. Standing probably wouldn't be a whole lot better but he decided to get up anyway.

He pulled himself to his feet slowly, the blanket falling away and pooling on the floor. Sharp pain radiated through his torso when he tried to straighten up, forcing him to double over and support an arm against the wall as his vision faded.

But instead of darkness, he saw the hallway in his old home, where he was leaning against a wall in almost the exact same position.

_His father stood too the side, but without looking up all Kyuzo could see was his legs as he currently only reached his waist. _

"_Pain is only relative," the voice was deep and clear. A voice Kyuzo automatically associated with respect. _

_And pain. _

_But not fear. _

_Maybe he had felt that long ago, some animal instinct, an initial reaction to the pain, but in some odd way the threat of more pain in response to fear had weeded it out of him. _

"_Someone that has been sheltered and protected all their life will be devastated by the simplest injury. But a true warrior will know pain intimately," he continued, walking slowly around Kyuzo. The boy followed his progress with his eyes, focused on the large calloused hands that were currently dangling loosely by his sides. _

"_He will live with it daily. It will become his lifetime companion, an old lover who's presence he will take for granted. Able to ignore it when more important things occur." _

_He stopped on his left. Kyuzo didn't move or speak, just watched those hands and waited for what he knew would come next._

"_You will thank me for this later."_

Kyuzo jerked away from the hand. Stumbling over the discarded blanket in his haste to get away. He looked up to see Heihachi starting back at him, pale and wide eyed, his hand still extended from where he'd laid it on Kyuzo's arm. He fought to keep his breath from escalating into a panicked pant. Why was he reacting like this? _What _was this?

At the time, he hadn't moved, hadn't flinched at what his fathers hands inflicted on him. Even as he'd laid there bleeding on the expensive flooring in the aftermath, his face and mind had remained blank. So why was he reacting this way to a mere memory?

"Kyuzo?"

His eyes jerked to Heihachi's and he fought to get control of himself. Trying to push away the overload of unknown emotion and draw forth his comfortable emptiness. But each time he reached for it, it slipped away, like trying to grab water. After a few more half panicked attempts he was finally able to find a measure of calm, but he could still feel the odd rolling emotions just beneath the surface.

He straightened up, ignoring the pain in his chest.

"_You will thank me for this later."_

He closed his eyes for a second, reasserting his control, before meeting Heihachi's eyes evenly.

Heihachi just stared back at him before finally asking, "Everything alright?"

Kyuzo nodded once and walked by the other man as if nothing happened. He eyed his messy pile of clothes distastefully, he really must have been tired to just drop his coat and shirt on the floor next to his boots like that. Grabbing the shirt and pulling it on, he was pleased to note that it was easier to ignore the pain now. When he picked up his coat, the bandages Kambei had brought him fell out.

"You want me to wrap your ribs for you?"

Kyuzo glanced back at Heihachi, who hadn't moved and was still watching Kyuzo with a concerned look.

He probably should. Kyuzo knew he'd be in less pain if his ribs were wrapped. Not to mention dealing with Kambei's ire should he find out.

_Weak...._

He wasn't sure if the voice that hissed word in his mind was his own or his fathers, and that bothered him.

"No," he answered, recalling Heihachi's question.

He quickly pulled on his coat and stepped into his boots. As he strapped his swords on his back, he finally felt a little more like himself.

Stepping out of the hut, he was pleased to note that the night was unseasonably warm with no wind. Good conditions for a battle. He was looking forward to the familiarity of a fight. Deciding it was best to get something to eat while he could, he made his way across the village.

As he followed the familiar path, his mind wandered to his recent decision to be more open about discovering what these new feelings were, what they meant. But he was again starting to feel a little uneasy about the repercussions. The fact that it was getting harder and harder to pull forth the emotionless state he'd known all his life was unsettling. And what about his odd reaction to that memory?

Stepping into the warmly lit hut, the familiar smell of rice drew him out of his troubled thoughts. Looking up, he was confronted with the Kirara not 10 feet from him, holding a tray of rice balls and laughing with one of the other village women. When she caught sight of him her eyes narrowed and her lips tightened into a thin line. He watched in interest. But as they continued to stare at each other, a furrow formed between her brows and her face softened into a look of concern.

"Kyuzo.... Are you feeling alright? You don't look very well," she said, staring at his face intensely.

Kyuzo stared at her blankly while his mind whirled in confusion. She'd obviously been angry at him when she first saw him. He recalled Kambei's words in the bathhouse, admonishing him for "hurting" her. Yet, here she was, showing concern for his well being. He abruptly remembered his carefully bandaged fingers, how she'd taken the unnecessary time to take care of such a small injury. He felt a pang of ....something.

The look on his face must have gotten worse because Kirara was actually looking a little alarmed. Under different circumstances he might have found it amusing.

"Maybe you should sit down," she said, stepping closer.

He shook his head briefly and decided to just say what was on his mind in the hopes it would make this unpleasant feeling go away.

"I've been told that I what I said earlier may have been ....inappropriate."

Her eyes widened slightly, then narrowed. "I agree with that. But I think you knew it was inappropriate when you said it to begin with."

He thought about that for a second, then conceded, "I suppose I did."

"Then why did you say it?"

"Kambei's reactions are interesting," he said, unable to hold back a smirk as he recalled the wide eyed look on Kambei's face when he'd told the girl he was in there.

Her face reddened and she opened her mouth but he continued before she could get anything out.

"Your reactions were meaningless to me. I ....apologize."

The words felt odd coming from his mouth. He'd never apologized to anyone in his entire life. Now here he was, expressing regret to a farm girl in the middle of nowhere for reasons he didn't even understand.

Kirara looked like she couldn't decide whether to be shocked, angry, insulted, or embarrassed. He realized with amusement that this was probably what she'd looked like outside of the hut earlier that day.

_Hmm, her reactions are also fascinating.... _

Noticing that strange "pang" he'd felt earlier had disappeared, he decided he'd wasted enough time there and grabbed a couple rice balls from the gaping Kirara and left the hut, munching contentedly.

Coming around a corner he encounter Heihachi and Kambei in a serious conversation. He felt an odd flutter in his chest at the sight of the older samurai. But when Kambei looked up and Kyuzo saw the tight worried look on his face, the warm feeling evaporated. Heihachi tossed him a little wave before hurrying off towards his post, leaving the two of them alone.

Kambei was studying him intensely, which was slightly unnerving. Then it hit him. They'd been talking about him. Him and what happened with Heihachi when he'd just woken up.

_He's probably wondering if I'm fit for battle._

He wanted to tell Kambei he was fine, to wipe that look off his face, but such a comment would just make him sound overly defensive so he stayed silent. Staring back and Kambei blankly and keeping everything locked away tightly.

"You don't look well," Kambei said softly, moving closer at a slow careful pace that threatened Kyuzo's calm.

"So I keep hearing," he answered back blandly.

Stepping closer, Kambei raised his hand and pressed it to the side of Kyuzo's face, watching for any kind of negative reaction. He seemed to relax when none came and he brushed his thumb under Kyuzo's eye.

"You look tired."

"I slept well."

Kambei's look softened at that and his body lost it's tension as a small smirk snuck on his face. "Did you? I'm glad you managed not to drown."

Kyuzo narrowed his eyes at the other samurai, deciding not to honor that (sadly truthful) statement with a reply.

Kambei leaned in, his lips only a breath from Kyuzo's. "I'm looking forward to wearing you out again."

Being this close to Kambei was dangerous, it was steadily chipping away at Kyuzo's control. He felt his body leaning forward, meeting Kambei's lips with his own even though he didn't recall giving it the signal to do so. The kiss was surprisingly soft and sweet. It seemed that their tongues had barely brushed and Kambei was pulling back, a small genuine smile on his face.

Something tightened in Kyuzo's chest when he saw that look. His cracked control was slipping further and the emotions he'd locked away earlier were seeping up through the cracks. He took a step back from Kambei, hoping the distance would help. Something of his struggle must have shown on his face because that soft look that Kyuzo had just committed to memory was giving way to the earlier one of concern.

"We're about to go into battle. We should not be distracted," he said. It was the truth, but more than that he was hoping, most likely in vain, to distract Kambei from his lapse in control.

Kambei stared at him for another moment, before finally nodding his assent and also taking a step back.

"You won't be assigned a post, you are to move between them and provide assistance where needed," Kambei said, his voice back to the tenor of a commander.

Kyuzo was simultaneously annoyed and pleased. Annoyed because apparently Kambei felt he was incapable of handling a post on his own. And pleased because this gave him more freedom. He nodded once, and turned toward the forest, intending to move in a counterclockwise sweep.

"Kyuzo," Kambei's voice called out behind him. He paused and glanced back the other samurai, a white beacon in the deepening night. "Be careful."

Kyuzo wasn't sure whether he should be irritated by this instruction or feel warmed by it. In the end, he simply gave a noncommittal "hmm" and continued on his way. There was no way he'd be able to give such a promise, as he fully intended to throw himself fully into this battle.

It was time to reaffirm what he was.

* * *

The day had been just as exhausting as he'd thought it would be. The monotonous task of checking and rechecking posts, guards and watches had seemed never ending. The sun was finally setting though, and he was looking forward to getting back to the village. He needed to find Kyuzo and assign him a post, he hadn't done so before because he wanted to see how his injuries were healing. That was just a convenient excuse though, he really just wanted to see him. He'd found it hard to keep himself from dwelling on thoughts of the other man all day. Remembered images of him, how he smelled, how he felt, would pop into his head at the most inappropriate times. Which made his job much harder to concentrate on but was also a welcome distraction.

He was barely inside the village when he was confronted by Heihachi. His body automatically tensed when he saw the unusually serious look on his face. Whatever it was he wanted to talk with Kambei about, it wasn't good. Had there already been an attack? Were reinforcements spotted? Was there-

"Something's wrong with Kyuzo," Heihachi said, getting straight to the point.

His heart lurched into his throat and his mind already providing gruesome images of Kyuzo throwing up blood, his broken ribs having punctured something vital.

"Where is he? What happened?" Kambei demanded, already taking a step toward their sleeping quarters.

Heihachi's serious look melted into one of mild amusement as he took in Kambei's barely veiled panic.

"He's not dying or anything, so you can stop looking like that."

The relief that washed over him was immense, but it was quickly replaced by confusion.

"He's physically fine?"

Heihachi shrugged, his solemn thoughtful look returning. "I wouldn't say he was 'fine' but I'm more concerned about his mental health."

Kambei tensed again, "His mental health?"

Heihachi nodded, "Yeah, when I woke up he was leaning against the back wall like he was in pain, so I called his name. He didn't answer so I called again a little louder. Still nothing. So I get up go over to him and he's all pale with this creepy glazed look on his face. I decided to try and shake him a little, but as soon as I touched him he came out of it. He.... I don't know.... I know he doesn't like to be touched, but it seemed kinda like a flinch. And I swear Kambei, there was this split second where he looked.... terrified."

Kambei listened intently, his worry increasing. "Then what happened."

Heihachi shrugged, "He pulled it together. Acted like nothing had happened, got dressed and left."

This was very bad news indeed, especially with a battle about to occur. "Your thoughts?" Kambei asked. He already had an idea of what was going on, but Heihachi often offered a stunning insight into people, and he'd noticed things about Kyuzo that Kambei himself had missed before.

"I think… he's overwhelmed. Shichiroji told me about the bathhouse." Here Heihachi let slip an amused little grin and Kambei cursed Shichiroji's tendency to gossip like an old woman.

After a few beats of silence, Heihachi continued quietly, "A door like that's tricky. You open it up and let new stuff in, but it can also let old stuff out. He might be looking on old situations with this new insight, and what he's finding out... It's probably not pleasant."

Kambei nodded thoughtfully, "You're thinking he had some kind of flashback. He's applying the new emotions to old situations where there previously were none."

"That's what it seems like to me," Heihachi said. Then he smiled up at Kambei, "But what do I know. Maybe he just had a bowl of rice right before bed and shared one of Shichiroji's dreams about Gorobei in women's clothing."

Kambei smirked slightly, but didn't really feel amused. "I'm worried about how he's going to react in this battle. He's shown a tendency to be reckless and I'm wondering if it doesn't have something to do with the new things he's feeling. That maybe he's trying to chase them out with the familiarity of blood and death."

Heihachi nodded, "If that's the case, then this couldn't have come at a worse time."

Kambei nodded in agreement. Before he could continue, the sight of the very samurai they were talking about distracted him. Kyuzo was coming towards them, his pace was slow and easy and he was eating a rice ball, but as he got closer Kambei could see the pinched look of strain near his eyes and the overly pale tone of his skin.

"I'm off," Heihachi said, obviously excusing himself from the lovers reunion.

Kambei continued to study the other man, looking for any other hint of distress. But Kyuzo just looked back at him, blank as usual. He moved closer slowly, still watching him intently.

"You don't look well," he said, attempting to pull the other into a conversation so he could find out more about his current mental state.

"So I keep hearing," Kyuzo deep voice replied dryly, causing Kambei a ripple of amusement.

Raising his hand to the other mans cheek, he felt the tingle of pleasure at the feel of his soft skin he'd been thinking about all day. He was also pleased to see that Kyuzo didn't seem to mind the touch at all.

"You look tired," he said, brushing a thumb over the dark circle beneath Kyuzo's eye.

"I slept well."

Kambei felt himself relaxing, relived to see Kyuzo seemed fine at least for the moment.

"Did you? I'm glad you managed not to drown," he said smirking at the subtly disgruntled look that crossed Kyuzo's face.

Kyuzo's unique scent was wrapping around him now and being so close to him was pulling forth all those heated images from earlier.

"I'm looking forward to wearing you out again."

He leaned closer, unable to resist the lure of the smaller samurai's lips any longer. The kiss short and soft, a balm to his long day, and he smiled as he felt contentment settle in his chest. The look on Kyuzo's face was one he'd never seen before; gentle and warm with a tiny smile pulling on the corners of his usually down turned mouth. Kambei's chest tightened at that look.

But abruptly it was gone. A look of panic flashed across Kyuzo's face and he stepped back a little too quickly for it to look nonchalant. Kambei's earlier worry rolled back in.

"We're about to go into battle. We should not be distracted," Kyuzo's voice was steady, but Kambei noticed that his breathing had picked up.

Deciding not to press the matter just now, Kambei nodded and also took a step back. Hoping to help Kyuzo reestablish the control he was so obviously reaching for.

"You won't be assigned a post, you are to move between them and provide assistance where needed," he said, tinting his words with a level of authority. Again with the hopes of helping Kyuzo find some familiar footing. Part of him was viciously against this complacency, but he knew now was not the time to press for change. Drawing Kyuzo out now and forcing him face to face with what he was feeling just before a battle would almost definitely have a disastrous outcome. Kambei hoped that by placing him as backup for the other posts he'd be able to limit the danger Kyuzo could place himself in.

As Kyuzo nodded and turned away, Kambei felt the familiar feeling of dread wash through him. "Kyuzo," he called before he could stop himself. The other samurai simply stopped and turned his head back to show he was listening, "Be careful." It was more of a plea than a command, but he wasn't sure if Kyuzo would hear that.

The "hmm" he received in answer was not reassuring.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer**:I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment**.**

**Chapter 14**

Kambei stood in the center of the village, eyes closed and senses alert. The warm breeze tugged at his hair and clothing playfully, but he paid it no mind. So far there was nothing. No distant sounds of battle, no hum of machinery, no smell of blood, just the calm of night. Everyone was in position, the women and children were safely hidden away, all they could do now was wait.

The sound of someone approaching caught his attention and he turned to find Shichiroji coming toward him with an armload of swords. Kambei immediately went to help him, taking some of the burden.

"I'm surprised you were able to gather so many," Kambei said appreciatively.

"So am I. Not great quality, but they'll work in a pinch."

They worked in silence for a while, planting the swords in the ground for easy access should any of them need one in the heat of battle.

"You should get some rest," Shichiroji said, sticking the last sword in the ground and then leaning on it lightly.

"I slept a little earlier."

"If you're talking about that little half nap half meditation thing you had going on a few hours ago, that crap doesn't count. You weren't even relaxed, you had this look," Shichiroji said, screwing his brows up and tightening his mouth in a very unflattering imitation.

"I did not look like that," Kambei said, feeling insulted by constipated look on his friends face.

"Oh yes you did," he said with a grin.

A comfortable silence settled between the two as they stared up at the clear, bright moon.

"It's funny how things work out, isn't it?" Shichiroji asked quietly. "I never would have imagined I'd be staring up at the sky from another battlefield with you."

"Funny isn't quite the word I'd use…." Kambei said, then smirked. "I seem to remember you being quite amazed every time we saw another day together. You were always so sure we were going to die each time we went into battle."

"That's because you're a crazy bastard. I'm not sure what was worse; when you had a plan or when you were just winging it."

"My plans were brilliant," Kambei said, partially believing it and partially lying through his teeth.

Shichiroji snorted. "Yeah, brilliant. Like that time you decided hiding in the pile of dead enemies was a good idea and we almost got cremated? Oh, or maybe that genius plot of yours hijack a Nobuseri and fly it back to the flag ship?"

"I knew you were going to bring that up...." Kambei muttered under his breath. "I still think that would have worked."

"I lost my damn arm!"

"I did _not_ tell you to stick your arm in there. That wasn't part of my plan so do _not_ blame it on me."

They glared at each other a moment before both of them started laughing. Shichiroji squatted on the ground, one armed wrapped around his waist the other braced on the planted sword. Still laughing, he choked out, "That is so not funny, that hurt like hell! But your face...." He lost it again, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. "And you said 'fuck'!"

Kambei tried to pull back his laughter enough to look outraged. "I did not!"

Shichiroji nodded, almost collapsing on the ground. "You did! You said, 'Shichiroji! What the FUCK are you doing?!' And you had this look on your face like I was shitting on your mothers grave!"

"What about you? Your genius answer was 'I thought I should stick something in there'. The typical Shichiroji solution for any hole."

As they both fought for air, Kambei wondered how long it'd been since he'd laughed like this. He honestly couldn't remember. It felt good.

As if reading his mind, Shichiroji, wiping the tears away and grinning broadly, looked up and him and said, "Damn, I've missed you."

Kambei smiled softly at his old friend and offered him a helping hand up. "I've missed you, too. I'm sorry I dragged you into this, but I'm glad to have you by my side again."

Shichiroji clapped a hand on Kambei's arm. "The feelings mutual, old friend."

The sound of an explosion rolled in from the west, drawing them from the moment.

"Any predictions for this one?" Kambei asked, still looking to the west.

"Yeah, we're probably all going to die."

"Let's hope you once again find your self pleasantly surprised by your continued life ."

* * *

Kyuzo wandered between the posts like a ghost, silently slipping by after observing in silence. But on the inside he was more like a caged animal, restlessly prowling for prey that was just out of his reach. He'd been stalking the perimeter of the village for a while and was feeling more and more tightly wound with each passing hour. His mind was a messy loop of chained emotions writhing to be free then being brutally locked down, only to worm their way back to the surface once again. Images of Kambei and the pleasant feelings that accompanied him clashed with brief flashes of training and battles viewed with new eyes, making his stomach clench as he fought them back down. And he was angry. Angry that he was feeling anything at all. Angry that he was so out of sorts when a battle was about to begin. Angry that he was angry. His skin felt like it was stretched to tight, his muscles twitched and his fingers itched for an opponent.

Stopping in the deepest shadows just outside of Heihachi's post, he tried to focus on the soothing sound of the waterfall, to let it ease his agitated mind. After a few minutes it seemed to help a little. He leaned back against a tree and took a deep breath, letting the clean, water scented air loosen the knot in his chest.

He watched the farmers standing rigidly in their positions, tense and ready. They truly had come a long way.

_They've gotten stronger. You've gotten weaker._

The unwelcome thought made his lip curl in irritation. He had _not_ gotten weaker. He was just a little.... off kilter. The approach of Heihachi prevented him from mentally ripping that excuse apart.

The other samurai flashed him a sunny grin as he approached, but it was brief and Kyuzo could see an underlying seriousness that belied his easygoing countenance.

"How are things at the other posts?" He asked, leaning against the tree to Kyuzo's left and staring back toward the waterfall. Kyuzo was slightly amused to note the farmers nervously looking their way, as if they were afraid Heihachi was just going to disappear and leave them there alone.

"Everything is in order," he answered.

"About earlier...." Heihachi started uncomfortably, reaching up and rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't mean for it to seem like I was running off tattling on you or anything."

Kyuzo shrugged, "You informed a commander of a subordinates odd behavior. It was your duty to do so."

"That's not.... Ok, yeah, that's true, but more than that, I informed a friend that another friend could use his help."

"A friend...." Kyuzo said dubiously, glancing at Heihachi. While he wasn't exactly sure what it took to be considered such, he did know it was something he lacked.

"Yes, a friend," Heihachi replied, turning so only one shoulder was leaning against the tree and looking Kyuzo right in the eye.

"I meet the requirements?" He asked curiously.

"Well, when you care what happens to someone and they care what happens to you, that's considered friendship. If they were in trouble, you'd want to help them and they'd do the same for you."

"A mutually beneficial agreement. An ally."

"Yes.... essentially. But someone you can count on in times of peace as well as war. You support each other but you also just simply enjoy spending time together."

"And you consider me to be such a person?"

"Everything has to start somewhere, Kyuzo."

"Yet you consider the Kambei to be the person needed to 'help' me," Kyuzo remarked shrewdly, pointing out that although Heihachi's words marked him as a 'friend', his actions countered his logic.

"Well, while I consider you a friend, it's obvious that the person you care most for is Kambei. He's in the best position to be your confidant."

_He makes me weak...._

The thought hit him like a physical blow. It had been lingering in the back of his mind for a while, but he'd refused to acknowledge it. The thought that his currently unraveling state was due to the time he spent with Kambei was bothersome. Because he enjoyed his time with Kambei and didn't think he could give it up even if these were the results.

"Having someone you care about isn't a weakness. I think you'll find that when you have someone important to protect, it actually makes you stronger."

Kyuzo's eyes shot to him, realizing in horror that he must have spoken the words aloud. Heihachi's usually creased eyes were looking at him so earnestly that it made him uncomfortable.

_What kind of idiotic reasoning is that? Logic from the weak._

He mentally snorted. But underneath he could feel more questions forming.

An explosion ripped through the air to the west, making both Kyuzo and Heihachi tense and scaring the hell out of the farmers. One of them actually fell over much to Kyuzo's disgust.

"You should go. See if Gorobei needs any help," Heihachi said, moving back towards the cliff side a bit.

"No. They will strike here next," Kyuzo said confidently, also moving closer.

They'd discussed earlier how the waterfall would be a point of focus for the bandits. A basic military strategy, but that was most likely all the Raiden possessed. It was showing a little more creativity than they gave it credit for by attacking the western post first, but Kyuzo was still sure there would be a decent attack from this front.

And he hand no intention of missing it.

His hyperaware senses picked up the approaching battle turtle easily. He saw it well before Heihachi, his sharp eyes seeing the arrow bomb being leveled at them as if in slow motion.

His mind finally settled into a blissful calm.

Unconcerned, he pulled both of his blades just as Heihachi was becoming aware of the threat. He whipped one blade toward the approaching bomb, releasing it from his grip and grabbing Heihachi, shielding him with his own body as it flew threw the air and pierced the arrow, triggering the explosion before it could reach them. The air was still ablaze when he spun and launched himself through the fiery aftermath, pouncing on the stunned mimizuku on the other side and knocking it from it's mount while simultaneously cleaving it in half.

He left the wreckage behind, snatching his still smoking sword from a nearby tree where it had wedged itself after the explosion. He finally felt like himself again. The tension in his body was nonexistent and his mind felt at ease and ready for what was to come.

As he came out of the lingering smoke, he noticed Heihachi looking at him strangely, a soft smile on his face. A bubble of curiosity started to form but he popped it easily, brushing past the other samurai and moving toward the waterfall, where the sound of approaching machinery could be heard. The explosion must have served as a signal for the troops waiting below.

"You should be more careful with your injuries," Heihachi called out, following behind him.

Kyuzo smirked. He hadn't even noticed a twinge of pain.

_I'm still not thanking that bastard._

He blinked, startled by the sudden venomous thought. His calm slipped a notch and he stopped in his tracks. The twang of bowstrings surrounded him as the farmers opened fire on the advancing machines, but it was just pointless background noise to his struggle.

The first tobito that arrived drew his wrath, he threw himself at it without a second thought. As soon as it caught his eye he had felt that calm settle back in and his only thought was maintaining it.

He heard someone yell his name and only then, as his blade sunk into the tobito with a satisfying _chink_, did he realize he'd jumped right off the side of the cliff onto his opponent.

With his battle calm firmly in place once again, this new development was only a mild annoyance. Pushing off the wreckage as it started to fall, he leapt effortlessly and landed directly on it's partner. He ended it's existence with another easy stroke before jumping back to the ground next to the farmers.

His eyes were immediately drawn to the battle with the foot soldiers that had appeared. Heihachi was wielding his blade in a manner that was far from "sloppy", as he usually claimed to be. He moved easily into the fray; turning, jumping, slicing and stabbing. A familiar dance. His mind was finally back to it's well ordered norm, but he didn't feel relief, just that familiar emptiness.

He turned from his position in the middle of the wreckage to see the farmers staring at him with wide eyes. Heihachi, on the other hand, was watching him with an intensity that was disconcerting.

"I wish you'd show a little more care for your own wellbeing, Kyuzo," he said slowly, obviously picking his words with care.

Kyuzo blinked at him then promptly disregarded his words. The sight of smoke raising over the trees caught his attention.

"The village has been breached. I'm going," he said, moving toward the forest.

"I'm coming too," Heihachi said behind him. "The attack here should be over," he directed at the farmers. "There weren't enough of them for many more to be directed to attack this one area. Stay alert and keep an eye out for stragglers though."

Kyuzo was off before the last word was out of Heihachi's mouth, moving quickly and silently through the forest. He could sense Heihachi right behind him.

His blankness was fading again, leaving one blaring thought.

_Kambei...._

Was he safe? Kambei was an excellent samurai and Kyuzo trusted his skill, but still he felt....worried.

_Weak...._

But Heihachi's words floated through his mind, overriding that harshly hissed word as he forced his body to move faster.

* * *

Kambei and Shichiroji stood silently in the center of the village. Waiting. How Kambei hated waiting. With much practice, he knew that he'd perfected the art of looking calm and patient, but on the inside he was itching for action.

It hadn't been long after the explosion in the west that another was heard in the north. The light playful breeze of earlier now carried the sent of smoke and ash. And still they waited.

The sound of rushing footfalls almost made him sigh in relief. Finally, some news. Rikichi came running into view moments later shouting, "They're here!" He faintly heard Shichiroji snort behind him. Panting as he slid to a stop in front of the two samurai, Rikichi continued with less obvious news.

"There were six mimizuku foot soldiers seen on the western cliff, eight on the southern path, and ten more in the north, plus two armored yakan units."

"And the Raiden?" Kambei asked, wanting to have a location on the bandit.

Rikichi shook his head, "Still no sign of him."

Another explosion, this time in the south, sent Rikichi whipping around.

"Do you know where Katsushiro and Kyuzo currently are?" Kambei asked, drawing Rikichi's distressed expression back to him.

"Last I heard Kyuzo was with Heihachi in the northern post, and Katsushiro was assisting Gorobei in the west," he replied, pulling himself together.

Kambei nodded, satisfied with the answer. A small disgruntled voice in the back of his mind was busily muttering about how Kyuzo had stationed himself at the point most likely to be the hardest hit. But it really wasn't a surprise, he just hoped he was alright. His thoughts were sidelined by the whistling sound of incoming arrows. Both he and Shichiroji turned toward it, releasing their weapons. Fiery arrows descended on the village from the west, causing Rikichi to cry out in horror.

"Rikichi, see about putting out those fires, but make sure to stay out of the way," Kambei said calmly as he and Shichiroji made there way toward the sound of an advancing troop.

Two mimizuku on battle turtles and ten more on foot greeted them on the outskirts of the village. Nothing he and Shichiroji couldn't handle. Glancing at his friend, he smirked at the eager look on his face. Shichiroji caught the look and smirked right back at him.

"Why don't you go take a nap, old man. I've got this covered."

And with that cocky line, he launched himself at the approaching enemies. Kambei, shaking his head, followed closely behind.

They worked together like a well oiled machine; sliding, ducking, slicing and weaving in an intricate dance that could never be forgotten. As if one was simply an extension of the other. Kambei's focus darted from one opponent to the next, using the least amount of moves to accomplish his goal, but part of his attention was always on Shichiroji. He always knew where the other man was, what he was doing, and most importantly, if he needed help. Which he never did, but it made Kambei feel better knowing for a fact.

They cut through the unorganized line easily, not even breathing hard by the time it was over. They stood in the center of the ring of fallen enemies, surveying their work. Shichiroji was poking one with his foot, as if he hoped it would get back up and continue the fight. When it just flopped around he turned a disgruntled eye on Kambei.

"Well, that was ridiculously anticlimactic."

Kambei shrugged and turned back toward the center of the village where Rikichi was running around with buckets of water. It seemed a futile task in Kambei's opinion, but it kept him from being hurt in the fight.

"You hogged more than your share, too," Shichiroji complained following behind him.

"I did not. Take it up with Kyuzo, he's the one that left us with so few opponents," Kambei answered blandly.

"Yeah, well maybe I will," Shichiroji answered, but the volume of his voice had dropped and sounded less than certain. Kambei almost laughed out loud at the thought of Shichiroji saying such a thing to Kyuzo. And how little Kyuzo would care. Some of his amusement must have shown through because Shichiroji laughed, "OK, so maybe not."

Stopping a few feet from a frantic Rikichi who was still throwing water on a burning hut, Shichiroji shook his head.

"I think that's a lost cause, Rikichi."

"But-"

Whatever he was about to say was interrupted as a loud clanking approached. Both Kambei and Shichiroji reached for their weapons, then relaxed when they saw it was just Kikuchiyo.

"Kikuchiyo," Shichiroji said, sounding aggravated. "Why aren't you at your post?"

"My sword broke! I need-"

An eruption of gunfire sent them all diving for cover, Kambei pushing Rikichi harshly to the ground in front of him. Looking over his shoulder he could make out the hazy silhouette of the Raiden leading his own contingent of foot soldiers and yakan units. Kikuchiyo's abandonment of his post must have provided the opening he'd had been waiting for.

Kambei sighed. Well, at least he wasn't wondering where he'd be coming from anymore. He did wish they'd been able to face him and his troops further away from the settlement though. It was looking like they were going to cause some serious damage to the farmers homes.

He, Shichiroji and Rikichi managed to scurry behind a nearby hut while Kikuchiyo stayed hunkered down near one of the burning ones. Movement to their left drew Kambei and Shichiroji's attention and they turned to see Heihachi and Kyuzo dart into the village.

"Good timing," Shichiroji whispered.

Kambei disagreed though. He'd honestly hoped that Kyuzo would be detained somewhere else when the battle with the Raiden presented itself. There was too many ways this could go wrong should Kyuzo recklessly make a wrong move.

The foot soldiers and yakan were flooding into the village now, obviously intent on flushing them out into the open. Kikuchiyo had abandoned his "toothpick" for a large piece of fiery timber which he was wielding with surprising success.

"Shichiroji, protect Rikichi," Kambei instructed, moving out into the fray.

As he fought, he kept his senses alert, watching over all his samurai. He immediately noticed the arrival of Gorobei and Katsushiro as they joined fight from the west. Heihachi had moved to help Shichiroji fight and protect Rikichi. And Kyuzo....

Kyuzo was edging his way toward the Raiden.

"Traitor!"

Who was apparently holding a grudge. Great.

Kyuzo seemed to perk up at being addressed as such and abandoned his subtle approach, outright rushing the bandit. The huge sword raced toward Kyuzo in move much swifter than Kambei had anticipated, making his heart leap into his throat. Kyuzo, too, seemed to be caught off guard by the action, having to skid to a stop and dart backward to avoid the tip of the blade.

And then the huge Nobuseri gun was aimed directly at him.

Kambei barely felt the cut of an opponents sword as it sliced his shoulder, all he could see was Kyuzo staring in that barrel, waiting for death.

"Kyuzo!"

Kambei blinked. Katsushiro's voice was loud and panicked as it echoed over the sound of the battle. His eyes widened as the kid seemed to come out of nowhere, yelling as he cut through the Raiden's gun.

Unfortunately, the Raiden had already been pulling the trigger when Katsushiro made contact, causing the entire gun to explode. Katsushiro was still in the air when the blast hit him, sending him crashing backwards and toward the ground. In a move faster than Kambei's eyes could even follow, Kyuzo had darted forward and caught him before he struck the ground. Apparently the impact was too much for Kyuzo's ribs though, because Kambei could make out the look of pain that blossomed across his face as his knees buckled.

Completely unaware of the Raiden coming at him from behind.

A fierce protective fury rolled over Kambei, sharpening his vision and muting the sounds of the battle behind him. He reached the Raiden just as it was raising it's sword. His first strike cut through it's midsection, then he leapt up to it's head, mercilessly decapitating it. Jumping back to the ground, he didn't even turn to watch it fall.

The fight was almost over, Gorobei and Shichiroji were taking care of the few remaining foot soldiers. But he barely gave them a passing glance, his attention was drawn to sight of the blond samurai kneeling next to a prone Katsushiro, putting pressure on a nasty stomach wound.

As he neared, he could see that Katsushiro was unconscious and the wound, while bleeding a lot, seemed superficial. But his breathing sounded wrong. His brow furrowed in concern as he knelt next to him, some part of him unclenching at Kyuzo's warm presence.

Until he realized it wasn't Katsushiro's breathing that sounded wrong.

His head whipped toward Kyuzo, whose harsh shallow gasps were shaking his thin frame as he fought for air. A thin sheen of sweat covered his pale face. He turned his crimson eyes toward him, seemingly unconcerned with his fight for air as they zeroed in on his shoulder.

"You're....injured." His deep voice was quiet, whispered out between breaths, his brow furrowing in concern.

Fear curled through Kambei's chest, threatening to choke off his own air supply.

"Oh no...."

Rikichi's shocked voice barely registered in his frozen brain.

Only when a thick wet cough sent Kyuzo doubling over, blood splattering the ground and speckling those down turned lips, did the panic truly set in.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Oh man, I had a hard time writing this chapter. I was hopping between it and two other stories, which I hate doing. I prefer to focus on one thing at a time. Hopefully it doesn't read as choppy as it felt writing it.

I love writing Shichiroji and Kambei together, they have such a wonderful history, I just want to explore it. I feel like other aspects of their characters only come out when they're together. They were inching into crack territory in this chapter.... I'll have to keep an eye on them.

Now a random side note regarding how Kyuzo and Kambei refer to the Nobuseri. When writing for Kyuzo, he refers to the Raiden, Spider, etc. as "it" while Kambei refers to them as "him". It felt more natural to have Kambei still see a bit of humanity in them. But that makes things a little confusing during the action sequences, so even though it's Kambei's POV, I still may have referred to the Raiden as "it" a few times for the sake of clarity. So... If you didn't notice, excellent, forget about this note. If you did, sorry for any confusion.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 15**

Shichiroji closed his eyes, trying to rein in the desire to laugh. It really wasn't funny, but no one ever accused him of having an appropriately timed sense of humor. Kambei looked like he might faint. Kyuzo was still wheezing but also looking at Kambei like he was insane all the while holding his hand over Katsushiro's wound, who was waking up, whispering Kyuzo's name.

Shichiroji clenched his teeth as the laughter struggled to burst free.

"Your ....shoulder needs ....treatment," Kyuzo said haltingly.

The look on Kambei's face as his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water was all that Shichiroji could take, and he let out a choked kind of snort.

That seemed to snap Kambei out of his horrified trance. He glanced at Shichiroji long enough to give him a look of pure disgust that erased Shichiroji's amusement, before looking back to Kyuzo.

"Where does it hurt? What kind of pain is it? You need to lie down," he rapid fired, reaching for the blond.

At the same time Katsushiro was becoming more alert, his pale face taking on a grimace of pain, but he kept his eyes on Kyuzo. He reached a hand out, laying it over the one Kyuzo had on his wound.

Kyuzo's only reaction was to glance down, take Katsushiro's hand and place it over the wound, removing his own hand as if he was saying, "Good, you're awake. Now you can stop your own bleeding."

Shichiroji felt the insane urge to laugh returning and decided to take action before he could disappoint his friend further. Moving forward, he knelt next to Katsushiro who was still looking at Kyuzo.

"Kyuzo, are you hurt?" The young samurai whispered.

Kyuzo, who'd gone back to staring at Kambei's shoulder, looked down at the boy and furrowed his brows.

"You are....very foolish."

Shichiroji felt a stab of pity for Katsushiro as his face fell. It just wasn't in most veteran samurai to give a 'thank you' in a case like this. They rarely admitted they needed any kind of help or that they might have made a mistake.

"_He _was foolish?" Kambei growled incredulously.

_Uh oh...._

His old friend was following his well worn tradition of covering fear with anger. Not a good idea with someone like Kyuzo. He saw the blond samurai's eyes narrow to crimson slits and zero in on the hand Kambei had laid on his arm.

Deciding it would be good to interrupt now before he and Kambei had matching mechanical arms (that was his personal trademark of badassery and he wasn't sharing) Shichiroji said the first thing that popped into his head.

"Rice!"

It was definitely effective; everyone's eyes were on him now. Gorobei, he noted, looked like he was particularly enjoying the show.

"I, uh, I mean, it's been a long day and.... we're all hungry. And tired. Or bleeding," he rambled nonsensically, glancing at Katsushiro.

Seeing they were all looking at him with waning patience, he decided to take charge and start dishing out orders. "So, Kambei, why don't you go see to Kyuzo. Gorobei and I can take Katsushiro to get patched up. Kikuchiyo, you can start cleaning up this mess. Heihachi, will you inform the women and children it's alright to come out and have Kirara meet us at the water priestess's hut? We'll meet her there with Katsushiro. Then you can check on the posts. "

Luckily, it seemed his distraction worked, because Kambei was now helping Kyuzo to his feet carefully, anger forgotten, and Kyuzo was back to looking at him like he'd lost his mind. Katsushiro was watching them with confusion and a dawning comprehension. Although it didn't take much brain power to connect the dots the way Kambei was hovering protectively over the blond samurai.

Shichiroji felt a little uneasy as he watched them. This was more than just sexual, at least on Kambei's end. And despite his earlier inappropriate amusement regarding Kambei's reaction, the fact that Kyuzo was coughing blood was obviously bad. If something were to happen to him....

His stomach clenched. His friend had been through too much; lost so much already. It was time for him to find happiness. The thought that he may have found it only to have it ripped away....

Shichiroji shook his head, taking his eyes away from the two samurai that were slowly walking away.

"He'll be alright," Gorobei's voice was serious for once. But Shichiroji could hear the same underlying uncertainty that his own heart held.

He clenched his jaw in determination. He _would_ be alright. Kyuzo was important to Kambei, so he was important to him. And once he got Katsushiro squared away, he'd come back and help his friend ensure that Kyuzo would be fine. Even if it meant carrying him on his back all the way to Kougakyo.

His new confidence faltered when he looked down at Katsushiro, who was still starting at the spot that Kambei and Kyuzo had vacated. He turned his shocked eyes to Shichiroji.

"Are they- what.... When," he stuttered out.

"Yeah, they're-" Gorobei was stopped from whatever tactless comment he was about to hit the poor kid with by Shichiroji's hand slapping over his mouth. But it was obvious the boy got the point though by the expression on his face.

"Don't worry about that right now," Shichiroji said, dredging up some kindness for him. "You just concentrate on getting better. Looks like Kirara is going to get to play nurse."

A dull flush spread over the boys cheeks at that, relieving Shichiroji of some of the guilt he had from instigating his crush on Kyuzo in the first place. Katsushiro still had feelings for Kirara and that was a much healthier, more realistic path for his feelings. Kyuzo was too wrapped up in Kambei to notice anyone else and Kambei wasn't going to let anyone else take what he'd claimed.

He was jerked rudely from his thoughts by a wet warmth stroking the palm of the hand he still had over Gorobei's mouth.

He looked at the other samurai blankly, "Did you just fucking lick my hand?"

He pulled his hand back to reveal Gorobei's wide grin.

"I got piss on that hand earlier. And I didn't wash it off," he said without a trace of humor. He felt a burst of satisfaction as the grin melted off Gorobei's face. It was a lie of course, but it felt good to let the other man think otherwise.

"You get his head, I'll get his feet. We'll take him to the water priestess," Shichiroji directed, squatting by the boys feet and inconspicuously using his pants to wipe his damp hand. "Katsushiro, this will hurt, but you need to stay try and stay conscious. Keep putting pressure on that wound."

"I can walk, there's no need to-" Katsushiro protested weakly.

"Oh, shut up," Gorobei huffed, sliding his hands beneath the boys shoulders. "You've already played the hero today, don't take it too far by playing the martyr as well."

Shichiroji smirked. "On three. One , two, three," he said, lifting slowly and as smoothly as he could while Gorobei did the same. Katsushiro let out a small grunt of pain, but Shichiroji was proud when he just gritted his teeth and concentrated on the hand pressed to his stomach.

Kirara was there waiting for them when they arrived, rushing around gathering a bowl of water, bandages and lighting every torch and lantern in the room. Her face paled and she let out a sound of distress when she saw Katsushiro's bloody form.

"Lay him down here," she instructed, her pale face settling in a serious look of determination.

She wasted no time cutting Katsushiro's shirt open to reveal the wound, causing his face to shoot up in flames and Shichiroji to snicker. Kirara cast him a look eerily similar to the one Kambei had given him earlier, wiping away his amusement in exactly the same way.

"Uh, I'm going to go see if Kambei needs help with Kyuzo," he said, deciding it was a good time to make his exit. Gorobei shot him a look of dread and opened his mouth, but Shichiroji interrupted him, "Gorobei will stay and assist you, Kirara." She nodded but didn't look up from the bloody gash in Katsushiro's stomach, missing the smirk Shichiroji shot at Gorobei. He knew the man had an even more inappropriate sense of humor than himself, it would be next to impossible for him to be in there and keep his mouth shut. It was almost a guarantee that he'd draw Kirara's wrath.

_Maybe that bastard'll think twice before licking me again...._

He mocked him with a jaunty little wave before heading back out. The sky was finally taking on a pale gray cast announcing the upcoming sunrise, but the temperature was dropping instead of rising, taking on a more appropriate feel for the season. As he made his way across the village toward where he was sure Kambei and Kyuzo were, the adrenaline from earlier was finally melting away, leaving him to shiver both because of the cooling air and the dread of what might become of his best friends new lover.

When he came around the corner near the samurai's sleeping quarters, he was surprised to see the two of them still outside, Kyuzo sitting by the entrance and Kambei hovering over him sounding frustrated.

"Kyuzo, you need to lie down," he said in a no-nonsense tone, putting his hand on the smaller samurai's shoulder like he intended to haul him to his feet and drag him inside.

"Stop pawing me," Kyuzo answered, his own deep voice edging into irritation as he pushed Kambei's hand away. He seemed to have stopped the horrible gasping of earlier, though his breathing was still off. The urge to laugh again was inching its way forward, but when he caught sight of Kambei's drawn face it was easily squashed.

"So, what's going on here?" He asked trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere. "A lover's spat?"

Kambei looked at him incredulously while Kyuzo looked on blankly, then stood up and went inside. Kambei watched him go with his mouth slightly open.

"I've been trying to get him to lie down this entire time, you show up and make one crack and he's gone," Kambei said shaking his head and walking out toward his friend.

"It's part of my charm," Shichiroji grinned. "If he's feeling stubborn, it can't be that bad."

Kambei's face was tight with worry though as he glanced back toward the hut. "It's hard to tell with him. It's likely something's been torn or punctured."

"Maybe it's just left over from his romp in the canyon?"

"No, he coughed a little blood then, claimed it was from bruising, and since he's been fine since then I'm inclined to believe him. Plus that was days ago, the blood just now was fresh."

"More bruising maybe?" Shichiroji offered, but felt doubtful.

"No, his breathing is too compromised. Plus, if that were it, he would just say so. Kyuzo's fine with lying by omission but he won't outright lie to your face."

"Catching Katsushiro probably shifted his broken ribs then. Where were the breaks?"

Kambei looked thoughtful and his face lost some of his tension, "They were low."

"That's good, that means if they did puncture a lung, it's probably not that bad."

"He'll still need professional medical treatment even if that is the case."

"So, we'll take him to Kougakyo," Shichiroji shrugged.

Kambei looked up at the "we" and gave his friend a grateful smile. It disappeared quickly though, his brows furrowing. "He betrayed the magistrate. He'll be a wanted man there."

Shichiroji felt his heart fall, he'd forgotten about that. "Well, I know a few people that might be able to help. I don't know if they have experience to deal with internal injuries though...."

"The Shikimoribito...." Kambei said quietly.

Shichiroji shot him a shocked look. "You're going to trust _them_ to take care of Kyuzo?"

"The have medical knowledge, they were willing to use it to help Katsushiro," Kambei said, rubbing his chin.

"You mean when they shot him with that freaky dart? Kambei, I wouldn't exactly call that 'medical knowledge'. And even if they were willing to help, they won't do it out of the goodness of their hearts. They'll want something in return."

"So, I'll just have to make it worth their time," Kambei said with a look Shichiroji knew all too well.

"Oh no.... you have a 'plan', don't you?" He asked dubiously.

"My plans are brilliant," Kambei muttered under his breath walking back toward the hut. "Do me a favor and track down Heihachi, he was with Kyuzo when the fighting broke out. He claims nothing of importance happened but ask Heihachi anyway, I want to know if he's hiding any new injuries."

"And your _plan_?" Shichiroji asked.

"I'll let you know when you get back," Kambei answered, disappearing into the hut.

Shaking his head, he turned toward the forest to track Heihachi down. It seemed there was still a possibility of his prediction coming true after all.

* * *

Kyuzo stared down at the bleeding boy under his hand in confusion. He had no idea what Katsushiro had been thinking. Did he have so little faith in his abilities that he thought Kyuzo needed _rescued? _Kyuzo still held firmly to the belief that he would have been able to dodge the shot had the Raiden gotten one off. But apparently the situation looked more dire to the kids inexperienced outside view, somehow urging Katsushiro to risk his own life for Kyuzo. Which made absolutely no sense to the blond samurai.

To make matters worse, he'd found himself rushing to catch the little fool after the Raiden's gun exploded. Another thing that made no sense to him. And the kid was much heavier than he looked. His ribs were screaming and no amount of willpower was making them shut up. Breathing was an issue and a familiar tickling sensation in his throat was filling him with dread.

Kambei's comforting presence sunk down next to him, relieving some tension Kyuzo didn't even realize he was holding. Glancing at the other man, his eyes were immediately drawn to the jagged bloodstained rip on his shoulder.

"You're....injured," he said, feeling irritated by the sight of Kambei's blood.

He barely noticed the arrival of the others, so focused he was on that wound. He felt a mounting fury. Kambei was his. His to fight. His to mark. His and only his. A growl rose in his throat, but before he could release it a spasm gripped his lungs. The familiar taste of blood filled his mouth and flooded his sinuses, making him gag at the same time the pain sent him doubling over.

_Well....shit...._

He hated lung injuries, they were so annoying and disgusting. He'd rather just have something that could be sewn up or that you could just wrap up and be on your way. He was quickly distracted from his irritation by the sight of the blood splattered on the ground in front of him, which reminded him of Kambei's wound.

Turning his gaze back at the other man, Kyuzo was confused at the look he was giving him. He knew that look. He'd seen it on hundreds, hell, maybe thousands of faces before. Usually just before he killed or maimed them. Why Kambei would be expressing fear towards him right then was a complete mystery to him though. The man had lost all his color and his pupils were almost swallowing the grey of his eyes.

"Your....shoulder needs....treatment," he said, still not sure why Kambei was making that face, but figuring he could find out after the man got a bandage.

He must have said something wrong though, because the Kambei's face morphed into a whole new confusing look. He was distracted from his lovers interesting expression by the feel of Katsushiro's hand touching his. He glanced down and put the boys hand on his own wound. If he was conscious, he could put pressure on it himself. He was going to bandage Kambei's wound if the man was so intent on ignoring it.

"Where does it hurt? What kind of pain is it? You need to lie down."

Kambei's barrage was accompanied by his large warm hand coming to rest on Kyuzo's shoulder, sending tingles of warmth out from the spot. He brushed off Kambei's words and was about to insist on him getting his injury looked at again when Katsushiro's voice drew his attention.

"Kyuzo, are you hurt?"

_He could probably use a bandage too...._ He thought, looking down at the bloody gash. He felt another flash of confusion and irritation at the reminder of the boys reckless actions.

"You are....very foolish," he said, annoyed by the gap in his speaking as he fought to get his breathing back to normal.

"_He_ was foolish?"

Looking back to Kambei, he saw that his earlier unexplainable look of fear had been replaced with anger. At least he knew how to respond to that but on the other hand, he wasn't exactly in the right shape for a fight with Kambei.

_He seems to like picking fights when I'm in no mood to fight back...._

The realization pissed him off. The weight of Kambei's hand wasn't quite so comforting anymore and thoughts of violence filtered into his head.

"Rice!"

_What the-_

Shichiroji's odd exclamation pulled his focus to the other blond, who was looking a little manic and crazy at the moment. Kyuzo stopped listening to his idiotic rambling after a few seconds. The urge to cough again was tickling the back of his throat but he fought it down, knowing that coughing could cause more damage to whatever internal injuries he'd already sustained.

He'd made a ....miscalculation during this last battle. That he made the mista…miscalculation at all bothered him more than the fact it could have cost him his life. That Raiden had been much quicker than he'd been anticipating, although he didn't know why. He knew the limitations of that model, he shouldn't have been surprised by that move. Backtracking over the events leading up to the moment he'd been faced with its gun, he tried to decipher what was different.

Maybe desperately searching for that calm had been a bad idea. He had to admit that his actions today might have been a little....hasty. Maybe he should just accept that things were no longer as they were and quit reaching for what was. He scoffed at himself, remembering a similar vow not too long ago that was promptly discarded by that unsettling memory. Would that happen again? Would something else occur that sent him scrambling for the familiar emptiness?

Suddenly Kambei's hand was tugging him to his feet and away from his thoughts. He followed complacently, his earlier annoyance being replaced again with the comfort the older samurai's presence brought. He was standing oddly close, his hand that had been on his arm sliding to rest between his shoulder blades and the other hovering near Kyuzo's side, as if he was afraid he was just going to collapse.

_Che, not likely...._

He found himself inching closer without really having made a decision to do so. The morning was bringing in cooler air and Kambei was exuding a delicious warmth. Kambei didn't seem to mind though. His hand slid up to rest on the back of Kyuzo's neck, rubbing soft circles with his thumb while his other remained suspended closely to his side, there if Kyuzo were to fall.

"You didn't answer me earlier, where's the pain coming from?" His warm breath ghosted over the side of Kyuzo's face causing him to shiver.

"Just my....ribs," he answered.

"You didn't get injured before? At Heihachi's post?"

Kyuzo shook his head. They were approaching the samurai's sleeping quarters and he was feeling a little dizzy. The thought of passing out in front of Kambei was appalling, so he just sank down right in the doorway.

Kambei's hand tightened on him and the other shot out to his waist, but Kyuzo just pushed him away. He was feeling even more dizzy now and a little nauseous but he definitely didn't want Kambei to know that.

"What's wrong? You need to lie down," Kambei said, hovering over him.

"I would like to sit here.....for a moment," Kyuzo replied, noting it was finally a little easier to breathe.

Kambei was making that odd face again. "You can't just sit here, we need to assess your injuries."

Kyuzo was getting tired of his bossy attitude. He was more than capable of evaluating his own injuries. He'd had more than enough experience with it. What he was noting now was less than promising. It seemed that he'd punctured a lung when he'd caught the boy. Judging from the way he currently felt, it was probably only a slight nick or small tear, but he knew that over time the pressure would only increase making it harder and harder to breath. He would need to seek professional medical treatment.

_Fuck...._

Something of his inner distress must have shown on his face because Kambei was once again there, insisting he lie down and grabbing his arm.

"Stop pawing me," he growled out, pushing Kambei's hand away. He may enjoy his presence but he wouldn't be manhandled. He actually did want to lie down now, but he didn't want it to seem like he was doing it because Kambei ordered him to.

"So what's going on here? A lovers spat?"

Shichiroji's light playful voice floated toward them and Kyuzo was left disgusted with the fact he hadn't even noticed him approaching. Heihachi may claim that having someone you care about makes you stronger, but all Kambei seemed to do was distract him.

Deciding to take advantage of Shichiroji's appearance, he rose and entered the hut, making it seem like he just didn't want to deal with the other samurai and his unique brand of humor. Which was actually partially true.

After unhooking his swords and leaning them against the wall, he tried to lay down gingerly but pain from his ribs still bit through him. He'd need to leave to seek medical attention soon. His eyes drifted closed, blocking out the approaching sun.

_I'll just rest here....for a moment...._

* * *

Kambei left his friend to follow his instructions and made his way inside, his mind forming and disregarding plans as he went. Stepping into hut, now lightly lit with the coming dawn, he spotted Kyuzo immediately. The sight of him sprawled out on the floor wiped every thought from Kambei's mind and left him feeling like he'd been punched in the stomach.

Reaching the blond samurai in several long strides, he knelt beside him quickly. Relief stole his breath away as he heard his ragged breathing. He was getting too old for this. There was a constant fear curling around his heart and a sense of urgency prodding him. Rubbing his face tiredly, he fell back out of his crouch into a more comfortable seated position next to Kyuzo. Propping one arm on his upraised knees, he lightly rested the other on Kyuzo's chest; pained by the stilted breathing but comforted by the steady heartbeat beneath.

This was all his fault. He'd kept pressing. Pushing him into this. Right in the middle of a goddamned war.

He wanted to regret it; to be the type of man that could wish he'd behaved differently if it meant saving his lover this pain right now. But he wasn't that kind of man. His confused reactions, those rare soft looks and tiny smiles, the feel of his skin, his warmth and scent. Each were infinitely precious to Kambei. He wouldn't give up the memories he had with Kyuzo for anything.

His selfishness made him sick with himself.

He leaned forward, brushing a few errant strands of blond hair from the injured samurai's face. His throat tightening at the sound of his labored breathing. Well, he'd just have to use that selfishness to make sure Kyuzo would make it through this. He'd do whatever it took to ensure his recovery.

Looking up toward the window where the light was steadily growing stronger, a flash of white caught his attention from the corner of his eye.

Glancing over, he saw the bandages he'd taken to Kyuzo in the bathhouse yesterday.

_He hadn't even wrapped his ribs?! Damn it…_

Was this going to be a regular thing? Was he going to have to make sure Kyuzo wasn't in unnecessary pain for the rest of their lives?

_The rest of our lives?_

His eyes widened at how natural it felt saying that. Was that really what this was? A small smile spread over his face as he thought of the spending his remaining days with the blond samurai.

After the war he'd felt like a purposeless husk. Useless and obsolete, he'd roamed the land like a ghost. But now, here in this little farming village where he'd agreed to fight an impossible fight, maybe he'd found a new reason for living.

Kyuzo was sleeping, he had a plan for what came next, and he might even have a future to look forward to. Feeling a little better, Kambei rested his head on the arm that was propped on his knees, deciding to get a little sleep himself while he waited for Shichiroji's return.

His eyes drifted closed to the feel of Kyuzo's heartbeat beneath his palm.

* * *

"Awww, well isn't this just too sweet for words."

It seemed to Kambei that he'd just closed his eyes when the annoyingly sugary voice pulled him back to consciousness. His neck complained about the awkward position as he raised his head off his arm. Looking around blearily, he noticed the sun had fully risen while he'd been sleeping and was now brightening the room with a soft yellow light. Glancing toward the doorway, he saw Shichiroji's silhouette leaning lazily against the frame and Heihachi peering around him with a wide smile.

A stirring under his palm drew his attention to the prone blond samurai. His breathing wasn't any worse, but it hadn't gotten any better either. Unable to resist, Kambei brushed his hand gently through the wild blond locks causing Kyuzo to open his eyes only enough to reveal a slit of crimson and drawing out a sleepy snarl.

"I know, 'you'll kill me'. I'll be outside," Kambei said with a grin. He pulled himself to his feet and stretched slowly, his muscles cramped from the uncomfortable position he'd been sleeping in.

Stepping out into the sunlight he closed his eyes and let the warmth seep into him as he struggled to be more alert. He was still tired and had circumstances been different he would have loved nothing more than to spend a day lounging in bed with Kyuzo.

_Later.... there will be plenty of time for that later._

Finally feeling a little more awake, he turned to the two samurai who were waiting patiently for his attention as they leaned against the side of the building.

"I didn't expect you to bring Heihachi back with you. You could have just informed me of his answer," Kambei said, moving to stand in front of them and crossing his arms.

"Oh, you wouldn't have believed it if I had been the one saying it, so I made Heihachi come with me. It's better for my delicate feelings if we skip the part where you call me a liar," Shichiroji said with an exaggerated sniff.

Kambei rolled his eyes at his antics. "What exactly wouldn't I believe?"

"That your little apathetic Kyuzo actually played the hero and shielded Heihachi from a bomb blast after they had a talk about friendship," Shichiroji said with a wide grin.

Kambei blinked at them blankly as the words filtered in. Then he dubiously looked at Heihachi, looking for conformation.

Heihachi nodded with a smile, "Yep, I don't think he even realized he did it. To answer your question though; no, he wasn't injured while we at my post. A little reckless maybe, but he wasn't hurt."

So in the heat of battle, he'd protected Heihachi. The thought made Kambei smile slightly. It seemed that even when he was reaching for the familiar, Kyuzo was still changing.

"So, what's this about you having a plan?" Heihachi asked curiously.

"Yes, please tell me you've put some more thought into this," Shichiroji put in.

"Kyuzo and I will leave within the hour. You and Heihachi will follow tomorrow morning." He held up a hand as Shichiroji started to protest. "I want you to stay here and monitor Katsushiro, if it looks like he needs more intensive care than what Kirara can give, take him to the Shikimoribito as well."

"And once we're there?"

"Stay and watch over Kyuzo for me," Kambei said, his eyes drilling into Shichiroji's.

"And what will you be doing?"

"I made a promise to Rikichi and Honoka. I plan to keep it."

"You'll be going to the capital then?" Heihachi asked.

"You can't go there alone, Kambei," Shichiroji said seriously.

"I can and I will. It's the only way I can assure access to the capital. When I come back, I'll have the women with me. If we're not pursued, we'll head to Firefly House. Meet us there."

"And if you are pursued?" Shichiroji asked incredulously.

"I'll send them ahead. They can tell you my location, you can meet me and provide a second wave of attack."

Shichiroji was looking at him with wide eyes. "Kambei, that's a terrible plan. It's pretty much the same as having no plan."

Heihachi was also looking doubtful. "There are too many unknown factors there. You don't know where the capital will be, or the condition of the women when you find them, how long it will take us to reach you."

"Exactly," Kambei said smoothly. "There's no point trying to plan for those eventualities, they are too numerous. We have a basic strategy laid out. We've all been faced with these situations enough times to be able to handle any possible occurrence. I trust your abilities and I hope you'll do the same for mine."

Heihachi stared at him intensely for a moment before nodding his assent. "I'm in."

Shichiroji sighed, "Fine. I'll go get some food together for your trip."

As he turned away Kambei heard him mutter, "Yeah, we're definitely going to die."

He turned back to Heihachi, who was giving him a slightly devilish smile.

"Now you just need to convince Kyuzo."


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 16**

Kyuzo stared at the backsides of his eyelids, blocking out the light and attempting to fall back to sleep. But every second he lay there was another second the pain was creeping back up on him. Drawing him inch by agonizing inch back into wakefulness. Finally giving up, he opened his eyes slowly. The roof lit by pale yellow light came into focus, speckled by numerous dust motes floating through the air. He followed their lazy meaningless progress as they drifted through the room and listened to the faint sound of conversation outside. He couldn't make out the words, but that didn't matter. All he cared about was the familiar timbre that seemed to make something inside him unravel at the same time it pulled all his pieces together.

He pondered his next step. He'd have to leave soon, but where would he go? There were a couple options in Kougakyo, but none of them were really secure now that he'd betrayed Ayamaro. It just depended on the amount that had been placed on his head. Some people owed him favors, but if the price was right he had no doubt that they'd sell him out. Then he'd have to kill them and that would be annoying. He was in no condition for a battle should whatever replacements Maro had hired get a whiff of his presence in the city.

_What about Kambei?_

His eyes widened with the sudden thought. What _about_ Kambei? Was this it? Once he left this village, would he ever see the man again? Panic gripped him suddenly, crawling like thorny vines up his throat and cutting off his already difficult breathing.

What would become of _him_ without Kambei?

As desperately as he'd been grasping for his earlier mindset before, the thought of going back to that barren life now that he'd experienced something more was appalling. Plus it was starting to seem that going back to how he was before was impossible. Why hadn't he thought this through more thoroughly? Kambei was the whole reason he'd invited this change in the first place, what would he do when the man was gone?

Disgust blossomed at his sudden dependence, but it was secondary to his distress. He pulled himself up into a sitting position, one hand pressing to his ribs as he gasped for air and fought to calm down.

"What's wrong? Is it your ribs?" Heihachi voice sounded from the doorway.

Kyuzo jumped slightly when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder but didn't pull away. He saw Heihachi tense as if he were going to back up but then relaxed again, staying close with his hand an oddly calming warmth. Concentrating on just that and pushing all his whirling thoughts to the background, he was able to get his breathing back to something resembling normal. But there was still an underlying unhealthy rasp and he could feel a kind of wet bubbling in his chest. It was time to go.

As he pulled himself to his feet, Heihachi's other hand gripped his arm and helped him up. He forced himself stand up straight, then turned and walked past Heihachi, forcing his grip to release him.

"I need to go," he said simply, picking up his swords and strapping them back on.

"I know, Kambei just wanted to see Katsushiro before the two of you left," Heihachi said.

Kyuzo stopped, and turned his head back slightly.

"The two of us?"

"Well, yeah, you didn't think he'd just let you go-" He paused for a moment. Then continued softly, his voice thick with incredulity. "You did, didn't you?"

Kyuzo was confused and unsure if he was meant to answer the question so he decided to just stay silent and let Heihachi clarify what he meant. He heard a soft sigh behind him.

"He's going with you to the Shikimoribito so you can get medical treatment."

Relief flood through him so fast it left him lightheaded. Kambei intended to accompany him. This wasn't the end. They still had more time together.

Suddenly his thoughts skidded to a halt and backed up.

_The Shikimoribito?_

While Kyuzo couldn't deny they had the knowledge to help him, they were ....disturbing. He didn't like the thought of them poking around inside of him.

"Why them?"

"I think he has something he wants to ask them about," Heihachi said, but the reluctant look on his face and the way his eyes ticked to the side showed that he knew more than he was saying.

Probably looking for the location of the capital. Typical Kambei, not wasting a move. It also sounded like he'd instructed Heihachi to be purposely vague about his reasons. Kyuzo considered pressing the other samurai for answers, from the look on his face it wouldn't take much to get him to crack. After brief deliberation he decided he'd just go along with it for now. Whatever Kambei was up to currently worked to Kyuzo's advantage, it would take him closer to Kougakyo _and _keep the other samurai with him. He'd decide on his next step when he figured out what Kambei was planning.

Heihachi was fidgeting under Kyuzo's intense look. When the blond samurai finally nodded and stepped outside the hut he heard him let out a sigh of relief and smirked.

The day was dawning clear and bright, forcing Kyuzo to squint while his eyes adjusted. It was strange, even though his chest still felt tight and painful, it was if he could breath easier. With a small smirk twitching at the edge of his mouth, he turned and headed out of the village.

"Uh… Kyuzo, where are you going?" Heihachi voiced behind him.

"I'm leaving."

"You're- What about Kambei?"

"He'll catch up."

Knowing Kambei had an ulterior motive for the journey, Kyuzo felt comfortable messing with the man somewhat. His reaction should be interesting.

* * *

As Kambei walked toward the hut where Katsushiro was currently being tended to, he wondered if leaving Heihachi there had been such a good idea. He'd expressly told the man not to mention anything of the plan to Kyuzo should he wake before Kambei returned, but he wasn't sure Heihachi would have an easy time adhering to that wish. It wasn't that he really _wanted_ to keep it from Kyuzo, he just knew the blond samurai would not be happy about being left behind while Kambei went off to the capital. And the last thing he wanted was for him to endanger his health any further. Kyuzo just needed to focus on healing.

Stepping into the dim interior he spotted Katsushiro immediately. He was awake and although he still looked a little pale, he had a small smile on his face as he talked with Kirara. They both looked up at him at his entrance, Katsushiro's formerly pale face taking on a tinge of red for some reason.

"Katsushiro, how are you feeling?" Kambei asked, moving closer to the other two.

"I feel fine, sensei," Katsushiro answered, his eyes not meeting Kambei's. The older samurai narrowed his eyes in suspicion and looked to Kirara for conformation.

"The wound looked worse than it was. He still shouldn't move around for a few days but I think as long as he rests and it's kept clean he should be fine," Kirara provided helpfully. She looked a little disheveled, but there was a new light about her that made Kambei smile internally.

"I'm going to go get him something to eat. Would you mind sitting with him for a moment, Kambei?" She asked, getting to her feet.

Katsushiro's face screwed up in displeasure. "I don't need a babysitter."

"Of course you don't," Kirara answered offhandedly as she collected up the bloody bandages and dirty water.

Kambei grinned as he took a seat next to the disgruntled boy. "It's fine. I wanted to speak with him anyway."

For some reason the young samurai looked distressed by this. Maybe he thought he was in trouble for his somewhat reckless actions. Little did he know Kambei would never reprimand him for an action that saved a person that was so important to him.

"Sensei, I'm so sorry-" Katsushiro started as soon as Kirara was out the door, reinforcing Kambei's thought that the boy believed he was in some sort of trouble.

"Do not apologize. You saved Kyuzo's life. For that, I am in your debt," he said honestly, bowing his head low before the other. "While I'm sure he believed he had the situation under control, I doubt that he would have escaped that attack with his life without your help."

Katsushiro's cheeks stayed tinged pink and he looked down at his hands, but he had a small pleased smile on his face. "Thank you, sensei."

After a beat of silence he continued, losing his smile and looking distinctly uncomfortable. "But, that's not- uh- I meant about the way I behaved. With Kyuzo. I didn't know…about the two of you...."

_Oh...._

"It's fine. He is rather hard to resist."

"Sensei!" The boy's face practically burst into flames at that point.

"No harm done. And now you know he's mine," Kambei said, somehow managing to blend an easygoing shrug seamlessly with an underlying threat.

Instead of taking any offense, Katsushiro just nodded solemnly before saying quietly, "What about the capital?"

Kambei could tell by his hunched shoulders and downcast eyes that he was feeling disappointed. With his injury, there was no way he'd be able to take part in the assault and rescue mission.

"Those plans are already in motion. Kyuzo and I will be leaving soon, Heihachi and Shichiroji will leave tomorrow. You, Gorobei and Kikuchiyo will remain here, helping with reconstruction, guarding against any new or lingering threats and _resting_," he finished with a stern look.

Katsushiro looked like he wanted to argue but then just sighed and nodded. Kambei laid a hand on the boys shoulder, causing him to look up at him.

"Just because you are remaining here doesn't mean you are unimportant, Katsushiro. We still have a duty here and the threat is not yet completely gone. Take this time to heal as much as you can, because you _will_ be needed should reinforcements show up while the rest of us are gone."

Katsushiro's wide eyes stared back at him for a second before taking on a determined look. His jaw clenched as he nodded and Kambei knew he would give his all to protect this place and these people. Kambei nodded back and squeezed his shoulder slightly, showing he was trusting the boy. Sensing someone approaching, Kambei turned to see Heihachi enter, looking a little nervous. Kambei's eyes narrowed.

"Why aren't you with Kyuzo?"

"Uh… The thing is… he kinda left."

Kambei blinked. "He what?"

"He left. He said you could catch up," Heihachi blurted out, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else at that moment.

Kambei barely managed to keep his mouth from falling open.

_Son of a -_

Kambei stood quickly and exited the hut, almost running into Shichiroji in his haste. Spotting the wrapped package in his hand, he snatched it up before continuing on his way.

He grinned as Shichiroji yelled out behind him, "You're welcome! And you better not die you stubborn old bastard!"

* * *

Kyuzo was almost out of the forest when Kambei caught up to him. Much quicker than he had anticipated actually. Then again, he'd purposefully been keeping his pace slow, not really in any hurry to make the long journey without his companion.

When he heard his approach, he stopped and turned. Enjoying subtly mocking the man, making him feel as if it were an inconvenience that Kyuzo had to wait on him. His antagonizing was rewarded by Kambei looking distinctly harassed. A look Kyuzo found infinitely amusing.

"You could have just told me you were ready to leave," Kambei said when he finally reached him.

Kyuzo just shrugged and turned back to the path, watching from the corner of his eye as Kambei fell in step beside him.

"What is your plan?" Kyuzo asked, curious to see if Kambei would answer him when he'd told Heihachi not to.

"We'll follow the path that Katsushiro and I took on the journey here, back to the Shikimoribito. They can look at your injuries."

_So that's how he wants to play it...._

An honest answer, but still purposely vague. Kyuzo felt his lip curl at the thought of the Shikimoribito but decided to let it lie for now. Instead he focused on the little information Kambei had offered up.

"Our path was the quickest," he said. His group had arrived to the wing shaped rock well before the other two groups, it would make sense to follow that path back.

"And also the most strenuous. The way Katsushiro and I took had easier terrain, wasn't populated, and was the only path that didn't have a patrol scouting it," Kambei answered smoothly.

So Kambei didn't think he could handle the climb. How ridiculous. If Kirara could do it, then he could do it even with a punctured lung. He did have a point about the patrols though. While Kyuzo wasn't too concerned about facing an opponent himself, he was worried by the fact that if Kambei should get into trouble and need assistance he most likely wouldn't be able to offer any. So instead of pushing the argument of taking the quicker route, he let it drop.

They traveled for a while in a comfortable silence. Despite the ache in his chest, Kyuzo was enjoying the moment. Kambei's warm presence next to him and the feeling of the sun shining down on him from the cloudless sky. He wished he was able to take a deep breath; to savor the taste of the clean rural air before they went back to the city. The air there always reeked of the unwashed masses and machine exhaust. It was a smell that never bothered Kyuzo before seeing as he'd gone there directly from the battlefields of the Great War. It was a vast improvement on the constant smell of death and blood that he'd been used to. But now that he'd experienced something infinitely better, he wondered if he'd be able to get used to it again.

There were many things he'd experienced out here that he made him wonder how he'd ever lived without them before. And how he'd go back to living without them again.

He looked at Kambei, the tightness in his chest increasing.

"What is it?" Kambei asked, looking at him curiously with a soft smile.

…_I wonder how I'll continue when you're gone…_

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he pulled them back. While it was a question he definitely wanted to know the answer to, he knew Kambei wasn't the one that could tell him that. It wasn't fair of him to weigh the other down with his own weakness. Instead, he asked another question he'd been wondering about.

"Why are you here?"

Kyuzo was curious to see how the other man would handle such a loaded question. If he revealed to Kyuzo that he was purely there because he needed to speak to the Shikimoribito, he'd be opening the door for questions regarding whatever he was plotting. But there had to be another reason. He could have went by himself and been there much quicker. And if he felt he needed backup, he could have picked someone who wasn't injured.

"Here?" Kambei asked, his brow furrowing.

"Accompanying me," Kyuzo said, something welling up in him that he couldn't name.

Kambei didn't look any less confused by the clarification though. "Because… you need more care than can be provided in the village?" He answered as if he were being tested.

"That does not explain your presence."

Kambei's eyes widened a bit in comprehension, then narrowed in defiance. "There was no way I was letting you go _alone. _What if your condition was to worsen on the journey and you collapsed somewhere?" Kambei's eyes got an odd look when he said this and he looked vaguely ill.

"Unlikely. But you could have sent someone else with me," Kyuzo pushed, even though he wasn't sure why. He was feeling strangely anxious about the outcome of this conversation.

Kambei stopped, his arm reaching out and grabbing Kyuzo's and pulling him around to face him. His face had soft look and his eyes looked a little sad to Kyuzo's untrained eye. He reached up and brushed a hand across Kyuzo's cheek, his gaze burning into him.

"No, I couldn't have sent anyone else. You're mine. What happens to you _matters_ to me. You have become my top priority." His serious look melted into a mischievous smirk as he added, "Does that answer your question or would you like to fish for more compliments?"

Kyuzo's eyes widened in outrage.

_Fishing for compliments?! How dare he-_

Then Kambei's lips were on his, wiping out his brief burst of anger. The increasingly familiar scent of rain and incense wrapped around him and his anxiousness of earlier disappeared, leaving a deep sense of satisfaction and contentment in it's wake.

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the short chapter! I originally planned to cover their entire journey back to the Shikimoribito in this chapter but things got a little hectic and I ran out of time. Hopefully the next chapter will be up quickly though.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 17**

By the time the sun was reaching its apex, warming the cooler air of the morning, Wing Rock was disappearing behind them. Kambei had considered stopping at the rock and forcing Kyuzo to rest, but it didn't seem necessary just yet. While his breathing was still ragged and he'd heard it stutter a few times, there had been no more coughing incidents.

Kambei let his mind wander over what it would be like if this were a normal occurrence. Not the driving force behind this particular journey, but to travel with Kyuzo like this on a regular basis. The two of them wandering the countryside side by side. Two relics seeking purpose, but content with each other. He smiled softly at the thought. Or maybe they wouldn't wander. He was getting on in age after all, maybe it was time to find somewhere to settle down. The thought made him want to curl his lip like he'd tasted something bad. He didn't think it was in him to sit idly in such a way. The voice of his father would always be in the back of his head telling him that there were people that needed his help and as long as he had breath left in his body, he should do something about it. He suddenly wondered about Kyuzo's motivation.

"I answered your question earlier, now I'd like to ask the same one," Kambei started, looking over at his traveling companion. "Why are you here?"

Kyuzo glanced over at him, the look in his eyes and the tilt of his brows asking if Kambei were an idiot. "Because I'm bleeding internally."

Kambei winced at the blunt phrasing. "No, I mean why did you agree to join this fight?"

"I wanted to live," he said simply.

"So you've said," Kambei replied blandly, recalling Kyuzo's words to his dying colleague. "Yet you've thrown yourself recklessly into fight after fight, showing no regard for your life."

Kyuzo was silent for a moment. "Living… is not as easy as one would think."

Something about the tone of his voice when he said that made Kambei's heart clench with pity. He stayed silent, knowing that the other would not appreciate his sympathy.

Kyuzo's deep voice was quiet and his gaze was locked on the approaching tree line when he continued. "When I'm with you... I feel alive. But, while I'm drawn to that feeling, it also makes me... uneasy."

Kambei blinked in surprise, both because of Kyuzo's answer and his candor. He wanted to push more but at that moment a cough erupted from Kyuzo. The blonds eyes widened slightly as a hand clapped over his mouth and he turned away. Kambei's chest tightened in concern as the other mans shoulders shook with two more deep wet coughs. He put a hand on the smaller man's back and could feel a light tremor going through him as he attempted to get his breathing under control. When he stepped around to his front, his heart almost stopped at the sight of the deep red seeping out between Kyuzo's pale fingers that covered his mouth.

"Shit…" Kambei hissed out, rubbing his hand in circles on Kyuzo's back.

Kyuzo looked up at him, his eyebrows raised, then actually huffed out a laugh. Which in turn made him cough again.

"Don't laugh," Kambei scolded, looking around for a good place for them to sit and rest a moment.

"Don't curse," Kyuzo answered, his voice was rough and quiet but his breathing was coming under control.

They both froze as a hint of a low vibration reached them, followed shortly by the low whirring sound of machinery.

_You have got to be kidding me…_

"No patrols?" Kyuzo said softly, giving Kambei a bland look.

"There weren't any when we went through here before."

"There are now."

"Obviously," he snapped back, irritated both by the unexpected complication and its bad timing.

The sound was coming from the tree line ahead of them. They were horribly exposed right now, the only cover was the trees currently sheltering the threat. He saw Kyuzo casually wipe away the blood from his hand, its claret accusation lost in the crimson fabric of his coat, then reach for his blades.

"Absolutely _not_," Kambei growled out, grabbing one of Kyuzo's wrists before it could release the blade. "You stay right here, do _not_ move from this spot."

Kyuzo looked at him incredulously, or as incredulous as Kyuzo could look, which really just amounted to a furrow forming between his eyes and the lift of his right brow.

"I mean it, don't move. That's an order," Kambei said seriously.

At those words the look on Kyuzo's face melted into something dark and furious. A hot and wanton feeling rushed through Kambei as he imagined a sensual battle for dominance and Kyuzo's rebellious expression giving way to one of submissive pleading. He hurriedly pushed those thoughts away. Now was definitely not the time.

Certain that the blond samurai would stay put, he raced off to intercept the incoming threat. He was only about twenty yards from the tree line when the two Yakan units emerged from within. They both paused for a moment, seemingly surprised at his sudden appearance, but quickly recovered, rushing towards him.

He dodged the first strike from the one on the right easily, bringing his sword up and slashing it in two with one graceful move. Spinning around, he was about to block the downward stroke of the Yakan behind him when a sword came flying out of nowhere and skewered it.

Pulling his attention away from its smoking remains, he looked over to see Kyuzo standing passively where he'd left him. Minus one sword.

_That insolent little…_

Sighing in irritation, he snatched Kyuzo's sword from the fallen Yakan. The blade felt odd in his hands, strangely balanced and lighter than he'd imagined it to be.

_Much like Kyuzo himself_… He thought with an internal smirk. Every samurai's sword was unique to that person and their abilities and preferences. It was a somewhat intimate action to wield someone else's blade. Just by holding Kyuzo's right then, he felt like he'd just taken another step towards knowing him better.

Running a thumb lightly over the hilt, he turned and walked back to Kyuzo, who made it point to not meet him halfway.

"I didn't move from this spot," Kyuzo said when Kambei stopped in front of him. His tone was blank but there was something smug in his eyes that both irritated and amused the older samurai. Deciding to let it go, Kambei just shook his head and handed the sword back to its owner.

"Let's find somewhere to stop and eat," Kambei said making his way back towards the forest. Kyuzo fell in step beside him as he re-sheathed his blade and just hummed an indifferent agreement. Kambei was glad to hear that his coughing had subsided, but there was a new rasp to his breathing that worried him.

The air in the shadowed forest was cooler, the tall trees blocking out most of the sunlight, but it was still much more pleasant than the sandy expanse of before. They walked in silence for a while, only the rustle of the leaves overhead, the chirping of the birds and the steadily increasing sound of water accompanied them. But the silence between them was comfortable, neither of them had any use for pointless chatter.

Reaching a familiar spot next to a waterfall Kambei finally called a halt to their progress. With a hand on his ribs, Kyuzo lowered himself down to sit on a large flat rock. Kambei watched him carefully before taking a seat beside him, close enough that their shoulders brushed, then pulled out the wrapped package he'd snatched up from Shichiroji earlier.

Untying the ends, he opened it and laid the rice balls between them, picking one up for himself. He glanced at Kyuzo to see him shoot the food a mildly dirty look before also grabbing one.

"I have to say, I could use a little variety myself," Kambei said, understanding the look immediately.

"It could be worse," Kyuzo replied, taking a bite and looking out over the water.

"Yes, it could be firefly gruel."

Kyuzo's lip pulled back in disgust. "Indeed. I heard of your 'samurai toast'. I'm glad I wasn't present for it."

"You're also the only one sporting internal injuries right now. You could have done with a little luck," Kambei replied, partially teasing and partially believing it.

Kyuzo's head cocked to the side and he chewed quietly for a moment. "You believe firefly gruel imbues you with luck?"

"More that it grants peace to your soul and focus to your mind, giving you an advantage. At least that's what my Grandmother taught me."

"Tell me about her," Kyuzo said as he finished his rice ball. The shoulder brushing his had become a steady weight leaning against him and when he looked over, Kambei saw that Kyuzo's eyes were half closed as he looked out at the scenery.

So Kambei spoke. He told him of how his mother died when he was young and his Grandmother helped raise him. About all her eccentricities regarding rituals and religion. How strict she could be but how much fun they had together. As he went on, Kyuzo leaned on him more and more, a comforting warm weight at his side. Glancing over, he saw that the other had fallen asleep and smiled softly. They really didn't have time for catnaps on river shores, but he looked so peaceful that Kambei decided to leave him be for a little while. Picking up another rice ball, he quietly chewed on it while being careful to stay still and not disturb the man currently using him as a pillow.

* * *

Despite his stilted breath and the ache in his chest, Kyuzo was comfortable. The soothing flow of Kambei's words caressed his senses and the heat from the other mans body lulled his muscles into relaxation. His mind provided the pictures for Kambei's tale as his eyes slipped closed and he drifted off.

_A short, dark skinned old woman stood in front of him, both ranting and lecturing about salt and its spiritual properties. He smirked slightly, amused by her antics as she stalked around, waving her arms wildly. The room felt warm and comfortable and despite the subject matter, he was pleased he was there. _

_A sound from outside drew his attention, like rushing water getting closer. He got up and moved to the window while the old woman continued with her speech, as if she didn't notice his inattention. Standing on his toes and peeking outside, his brows furrowed as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. _

_The land outside was barren; dusty, cracked ground and stunted, skeletal trees. Vast red mountains stood out vividly along the horizon. But as he watched, it seemed that the mountains were growing taller and even more red. The rushing sound continued to escalate and soon the room they were in was shaking with its intensity, the old woman's voice continued on but it was steadily being drowned out by the noise. Turning from the mountains, which had grown so tall that he could only see a sliver of sky now, he looked to the old woman. But she was gone, and in her place stood a man he knew all to well. H__is father. But his usually blank face and dead eyes the color of rust were twisted into a mask of rage and disappointment. Kyuzo backed away from the sight instinctually. Edging closer to the door. _

"_You think you can run from me? From this?"_

_And suddenly he was right in front of him, his mad eyes boring into Kyuzo's as his hand shot out and gripped his hair. He struggled to stay on his feet as the large man dragged him out of the room by his hair into the barren landscape. His bare feet scrambled for footing on the dry earth, scraping the skin away. _

"_Look! Look at what you've done!" His father yelled as he jerked Kyuzo's head back while his other hand gripped his face and forced his gaze in front of them. _

_Not mountains. It had never been mountains. The sound was deafening. The sound of the giant wave of blood rushing towards them, blocking out the sky. His small hands tore at the larger ones holding him in place and his feet scraped the ground in a desperate attempt at escape. A feeling was welling up in him, completely alien to him, it choked off his air and made his pounding heart leap into his throat as his vision tunneled and sharpened. _

_The wave was right in front of them now and he could see it wasn't just blood. Hands were reaching out of the foaming, frothing red for him. Faces were staring at him, milky eyes filled with accusation. _

"_Do you see?" His father asked, his crazed voice sounding raspy. "You can't get away." Kyuzo's head was jerked back as his fathers face appeared in front of him again, throat cut and pouring gushing blood onto his son's face. _

* * *

Kambei had finished the food and was going over his plan in his mind when he felt the sleeping samurai twitch. Casting a look at the blond, he was concerned to see his face screwed up in what looked like pain, his eyes moving rapidly under pale lids. Shifting his position slightly, he ran a hand through the distraught samurai's wild hair hoping to sooth him. Instead of helping though, Kyuzo's breath picked up, rasping harshly in his chest and his hand that was resting on one thigh twitched into a fist.

Deciding that was enough, Kambei reached over and shook him slightly, but all that happened was the samurai in his arms just became more tense. Slightly worried now, he reached up and patted the side of his face while calling his name.

Suddenly Kyuzo's eyes flew open and Kambei was shocked at the raw terror in his wide crimson gaze. Before he could react, the blond had jerked himself away from Kambei with a gasp, lurching to his feet and scrambling away from the other man. His red eyes were glazed and his breathing was quick and ragged.

Kambei got to his feet as well and took a step towards him, his mind still in a stunned state of frozen state. Kyuzo skittered away from him, losing his balance as he came to the edge of the rock they'd been sitting on and hitting the ground hard, back first.

The sound of the pained groan coming from his lover's lips finally snapped Kambei out of his shock. He approached slowly, his hands out to his sides in the most non-threatening manner he could think of. When Kyuzo's red eyes snapped up to his, he started talking, low and soothing, he wasn't even sure what he was saying, he was so focused on the other samurai; watching for the slightest hint that he was going to pull away again. As he stepped off the rock it seemed as if he was going to bolt again, but then a look of pain clouded his features and he brought a hand to his ribs as a harsh racking cough ripped through him, spraying a red mist into the air in front of him.

Using the pain fueled distraction to his advantage, Kambei closed the last bit of distance between them and knelt at his side. Unable to stop himself, Kambei reached out slowly and wrapped his arms around the blond samurai's trembling frame and ran a hand softly through his hair. Kyuzo jumped at the touch, his entire body going stiff in Kambei's embrace, but was soon distracted with more coughing. Once again Kambei was struck by how small Kyuzo was as he held the shaking blond close to him, blood soaking into his white clothing. He felt helpless, a fierce protectiveness was rolling in his chest but had no outlet. He buried his face in the thick blond locks and went back to whispering soothing nonsense, hoping the seemingly unending coughing would release him soon.

After what seemed like an eternity to Kambei, it finally did. Leaving Kyuzo panting limply against his chest. Pulling away slightly and looking down he was unnerved by the amount of blood he was covered in. Kyuzo was pale and covered in a fine sheen of sweat, his eyes were closed and his head lolled lifelessly when Kambei moved him. Trying to keep the panic at bay, Kambei stood slowly, pulling the lighter samurai up into his arms.

_If he wakes up while I'm carrying him like this, he will absolutely kill me…_

Returning to the path, he set off towards the Guardians cave once again, wild blond hair tickling the underside of his chin and Kyuzo's harsh hot breaths panting against the blood soaked material on his chest.

By the time he exited the forest back into the sandy expanse of land before their destination, his shoulder where he'd been injured was aching fiercely.

_Not much further…_

He was relieved that there had been no more coughing outbursts, but Kyuzo's continued lack of consciousness was worrying. The sun was beating down on him from above and he could feel a bead of sweat working its way down in between his shoulder blades. Finally coming over one last rise, he could see the dark opening of their destination in front of them.

And the dark shapes at its entrance.

The Shikimoribito were waiting for them.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 18**

When Kambei had finally reached the cave, the group of Shikimoribito waiting for him had turned and led him inside without a word. He pulled Kyuzo closer to him as they stepped into the darkness and was comforted by the warmth of his body and the beating of his heart. They traveled for a minute in silence before one of the Guardians spoke.

"Your venture was successful?"

"Yes, it was. There were a few injuries," he said glancing down at the motionless blond in his arms. "But we managed to avoid any losses on our end."

"And you are here seeking a way to the Capital now," the Guardian stated more than asked.

"As well as whatever medial assistance you can provide."

"You ask for a lot samurai," the Guardian replied.

Kambei considered bring up his proposal then, but held his tongue in hopes of gathering a little more information. Silence settled between them as they continued their trek, the only sound the sloshing of water, the brush of clothing and Kyuzo's ragged breathing. After a few more minutes of silence, his patience paid off when the Shikimoribito continued.

"There has been an upheaval in the Capital. A new Emperor has been appointed."

This caught Kambei's attention, a new ruler could mean confusion he could take advantage of.

"A new Emperor?" He pressed.

"Yes. It started with Ayamaro being replaced because his inability to find the killer of the imperial envoy. His son, Ukyo, took his place as magistrate. In a trip to the Capital to discuss his new position it was discovered he was in fact a clone of the Emperor. What followed was a series of events we have yet to get the full details of, all we know is the Amanushi died soon after the discovery and relinquished his title to Ukyo."

_That sounds suspicious. And Ukyo… That complicates matters a bit…_

"We will see to your friends injuries. But we cannot transport you to the Capital."

"Why not?" Kambei asked. He already had a pretty good idea what their reasoning would be, but he wanted to be sure.

"It is the best interest of the Shikimoribito to remain neutral, especially as a new ruling party is established. We must keep our involvement to a minimum. The Capital and the Nobuseri are our trading partners. If we appear to choose sides, both we and the energy cells we produce will become pawns in a new war. Therefore, we must ask that you find another way to the Capital."

Kambei stayed quiet, absorbing the information they'd given him. It seemed his plan would work well. Offering him up as the assassin of the imperial envoy was a show of good faith they wouldn't be able to pass up, especially with a new Emperor taking the throne. Ukyo was a wild card though. He wasn't sure if their previous encounter would work in his favor or not. If he was holding a grudge from their previous encounter, he'd probably accept the story without question. But he also might be angry enough to order Kambei's immediate execution.

As they stepped into the large open area where the people that worked for the Shikimoribito were busily harvesting the trees, Kyuzo started to stir. Kambei froze and looked down at the samurai in his arms. His brows were furrowed and his lids were twitching as if he were trying to open his eyes and finding it difficult. After a few more attempts, slits of crimson were revealed. He blinked a few times before opening his eyes a little wider and letting them roam around his surroundings. When they landed on Kambei's chest, his head tilted to the side in a way that Kambei would have normally found adorable, but right now he was just wondering how he was going to get away with being caught carrying the other samurai around like a sleeping princess without losing any limbs.

After a few more seconds of uncomprehending staring at Kambei's chest, Kyuzo's eyes finally drifted up to his face where they first widened in surprise, then narrowed in fury. His lip curled back in an animalistic snarl as he ground out, "Put. Me. Down."

Kambei lowered the other samurai to his feet, keeping his movements slow and not breaking eye contact. His mind was all over the place, jumping to random tips about dealing with wild animals.

_Don't show any fear. Fear will make him attack. Or can he smell fear? Is it 'don't break eye contact' or 'don't look them in the eyes'?_

Realization of what he was doing finally registered and he had to fight back a laugh. Unfortunately, some of his amusement must have shown on his face because Kyuzo's lip pulled back further and he went for his swords as soon as his feet hit the ground.

Before he could pull them though, a dart came from nowhere and struck him in the neck. His eyes widened comically before rolling back in his head. Kambei sprung forward, catching him before he could collapse on the ground.

Kambei stared at the samurai who'd only woken up long enough to get drugged and then looked back at the Shikimoribito in shock.

"He seemed overly aggressive. It is easier to administer treatment if he is unconscious."

"When he wakes up, he's going to kill you all," Kambei finally choked out, half awed and half horrified.

"Then you will be responsible for making sure that does not happen," the Shikimoribito answered, unconcerned.

_Hmmm, but what if I'm not here when he wakes…_

One of them moved forward to take Kyuzo from him, and he tightened his grip out of instinct before logic kicked in, telling him that they couldn't fix the blond samurai if he was latched onto him.

As he watched them whisk him away an uncomfortable feeling of loss settled in his chest. He tried to convince himself that it was fine to leave him here, that Shichiroji and Heihachi would be here by this time tomorrow, but there was a voice whispering in the back of his head, telling him to stay by his side. He shook it off, he had things to do and the sooner he delivered on the promises he'd made the sooner he could concentrate fully on Kyuzo and helping him deal with the demons that were haunting him.

He'd stay and make sure Kyuzo was being well taken care of before going to the Shikimoribito with his proposal, though. With that decided, he went to seek out Honoka. It didn't take long, she spotted him almost as soon as he walked into the settlement and rushed up to him. Her eyes were wide and horrified as she took in his bloodstained garb.

"Great Samurai! What's happened? Are you alright? What about the others?"

Her hands were hovering over the bloodied area as if she couldn't quite decide what to do.

"Everything went well save for a few injuries. Kyuzo, the one that wasn't with us when we first came here but came to our aid outside-"

"In the red coat?"

"Yes, he required more medical expertise than what could be given in the village, so I brought him here."

"Oh, well that's good. The Guardians are greatly advanced in medical science. I'm sure they'll be able to help," she said nodding confidently.

"With the Nobuseri defeated, I've come the fulfill my promise. Rikichi's wife and your sister are likely in the Capital. That's where your masters will take me."

Tears gathered in Honoka's eyes as she struggled for composure. "Thank you," she whispered. Shaking her head a bit and straightening up, she said, "Well, at least let me wash the blood from your clothing while you're here. You can check on your friend and get a little rest before you go."

That actually sounded like a very good idea. The blood had dried into a stiff, flakey mess and every time he caught sight of it the memory of Kyuzo in physical and mental anguish clawed its way into his mind. Nodding his assent, he followed Honoka further into the settlement.

Ten minutes later found Kambei clean and robed in a light comfortable material with a new bandage on his shoulder as Honoka checked on Kyuzo's location. She was back quickly and with a slightly apologetic look she told him they were still working on his injuries and that it was best if Kambei not interrupt them. The uneasy feeling in his chest made itself known again and he shifted restlessly. Honoka's hand on his arm drew his attention away from his brooding.

"He'll be fine. They'll take good care of him, I promise. Why don't you get some rest and you can see him when you wake up?"

He stood there a moment longer in indecision before finally nodding and following her.

"Shichiroji and Heihachi will be arriving tomorrow. They are to stop here and retrieve you before going to a rendezvous point where I will meet them and you with your sister and the other women being held captive."

Honoka looked up at him and smiled, her eyes filling with tears again.

"Its so much… How can I ever repay you?"

"If you want to repay me, you can watch over Kyuzo in the time between when I leave and they arrive. He is… very important to me," Kambei admitted quietly. He wasn't one to offer up such information normally, but he hoped that her gratitude could be used to ensure Kyuzo's well being while he wasn't there.

She looked up at him with wide eyes before smiling softly, "Of course Great Samurai, it would be my pleasure."

She led him to the same home where Katsushiro had rested when he'd been injured and left Kambei to himself. He sighed as he laid down, unsure that he'd be able to sleep between his worry for Kyuzo and the plan rolling around in his head. But the long days, the fighting and stress finally caught up to him and he was out as soon as his eyes closed.

* * *

The early morning sun shone brightly over the bustling village. The sounds of reconstruction coming from the interior and the song of harvest coming from the fields filled the air. Shichiroji smiled as group of rowdy children went running by. It was nice to see the farmers in their element and moving on with their lives. But he'd heard there was one samurai who didn't quite feel the same way. Apparently Kikuchiyo was having some kind of identity crisis, which Shichiroji had a feeling would somehow lead to the big metal idiot doing something completely stupid. So currently he was looking for said big metal idiot, hoping to stop any hair brained schemes before they started. He finally found him sitting on a bluff in his pouting cross-legged position.

"Hey there, Kikuchiyo!" He called, trying to forcibly inject some cheer into the other samurai. He smiled widely and give a little wave as the other turned to look at him. Kikuchiyo just gave a huff and turned back around.

"Hey now, what's with the long face," he tried again, not really feeling the joviality he put into his words. He'd rather be eating breakfast and preparing to leave. Who knew what crap Kambei was going to get himself into. He needed to be there to bail his ass out. Where he _didn't_ want to be was out here indulging this big metal toddler's temper tantrum. Pulling back his annoyance, he forced himself to wait for Kikuchiyo to unload what was bothering him. It didn't take long.

"They're acting like farmers again! Worrying about weather and rice. Like they've forgotten all about us already," he finally growled out.

"The fact that they can start going back to how things used to be means we've done a good job," Shichiroji said with an internal eye roll. "But it's not over yet. Until they can grow rice safely again, our jobs aren't done."

"You mean until _Kambei_ finishes fighting the war while the rest of us sit around like lumps."

"Kambei has his reasons. And his orders were for you, Gorobei and Katsushiro to stay here and make sure the village is secure while the rest of us are gone, not to 'sit around like lumps' as you so eloquently put it. Well, Katsushiro can sit around like a lump. An injured lump."

"I'm not a sheep!"

"No, you're a samurai!" Shichiroji barked out, losing his patience. "Which means doing what's necessary, not what you think would be _fun_. Don't endanger these people because of your need to prove yourself."

With that he turned away and headed back into the village. He hoped he'd gotten through to Kikuchiyo, but he didn't have the time to waste on coddling any more than he already had.

It didn't take him long to find Heihachi, he was sitting outside in the sun eating a bowl of rice. Smiling brightly, the smaller samurai gestured for Shichiroji to join him and shoved a little tray of rice at him.

"Did you talk with Kikuchiyo?" He asked, taking another bite,

"Yeah, but who knows how much good it did. What about you? Did you make sure Katsushiro wasn't going to traipsing off into battle?" Shichiroji answered, helping himself to the rice.

Heihachi smirked, "Yep! He said, 'Once sensei asked me why I wanted to be a samurai and I couldn't answer. I now believe, for me, that being a samurai is about having the ability to protect what is important to you.' And then he turned red and looked at Kirara. It was all very sweet."

Shichiroji laughed, "Sounds like it. I just hope Kikuchiyo doesn't talk him into doing something stupid."

"I don't think that'll be a problem," Heihachi said with a mischievous smile as he sat his empty bowl back on the tray. "Kirara's on her last nerve, what with Gorobei's constant raunchy comments about them playing doctor. I think she's ready to start swinging Katsushiro's sword around. And nothing would draw her wrath like Kikuchiyo trying to drag her recovering… patient out into the battlefield."

"Good to know," Shichiroji's mind wandered to images of Kirara attacking Gorobei, making him smile. "The samurai protect the village from the bandits and the priestess protects the samurai from their own idiocy. Sounds like a good deal to me."

Heihachi laughed lightly as he stood. "You finish eating, I'll go grab some rice balls for the trip and then we can go."

Shichiroji nodded in agreement and turned his attention back to his meal. He figured he'd better enjoy this moment of peace, because knowing Kambei and how his plans usually went, they probably wouldn't find any rest anytime soon.

* * *

Kambei woke feeling well rested. His muscle aches were almost completely gone and the exhaustion that had been nagging him had disappeard. But there was a lingering worry in the back of his mind that he couldn't place.

_Kyuzo…_

Kambei jerked into a sitting position and then jumped to his feet. He found his clothing cleaned and in a neatly folded pile near the door and dressed quickly. As soon as he stepped out of the door, a Shikimoribito repelled down next to him, causing his hand to twitch toward his to his sword in instinct before he stopped himself.

"You wish to see your friend?"

He nodded tersely, his body thrumming with the desire to see Kyuzo.

"Very well, follow me."

"How is he?" Kambei asked following closely and willing the Shikimoribito to pick up his pace.

"He will be fine. His injuries were mended with no complications."

Relief washed through Kambei but there was still an anxiousness twisting in his gut that he guessed would not be relieved until he saw the blond samurai with his own two eyes. He followed the Guardian into a sterile looking room, where his eyes immediately landed on the lone occupant. He barely registered the Guardian leaving, he was so focused on the still blond in the center of the room.

Kyuzo was dressed in a robe similar to the one Kambei had been wearing earlier and had a blanket pulled up to his chest. He looked pale and tired, despite the fact he'd been unconscious for quite some time. But his breathing was quiet and steady. The wet rasp of before was completely gone. Kambei finally felt complete relief flood through his body, making his limbs weak with its intensity. He stumbled to Kyuzo's side and knelt beside him letting his hands run over his face and over his chest as is reassuring himself that he was real.

Leaning down, he pressed his lips to Kyuzo's. Their warm softness steadily becoming a familiar indulgence. "I'll be back for you, I promise," he whispered, his lips still brushing the other mans.

Casting the unconscious samurai one last longing look, he left the room to put his plan into motion.

* * *

_They aren't buying it…_

Kambei had just told them that he'd killed the imperial envoy and now was staring into the mismatched green glass eyes of the Shikimoribito around him. He wasn't sure _how_ exactly he could tell they were skeptical of his admission, they were just still and silent, but he could.

"You expect us to believe you would bring your friend to us for care, and then just confess to an assassination?" The Shikimoribito closest to him finally asked.

Kambei's face didn't change, but his eyes darkened with a threat. "Because I know you have more honor than to allow any harm to befall someone that has nothing to do with this."

He could have sworn he heard the Shikimoribito sigh, then it asked, "And why would you kill the envoy?"

"What's the saying? Ask no questions, hear no lies?" Kambei answered smoothly with a shrug of his shoulders.

"They will ask you the same question once you've been delivered to the Capital."

Kambei's eyebrows rose. Were they actually trying to help him? As if sensing his bewilderment, the Guardian added, "It would shine a bad light on us to have delivered a prisoner that could not even answer that question after confessing to the crime."

Kambei nodded in understanding, "I've encountered Ukyo in the past, I believe his grudge will prevent him from even asking that. He'll simply be happy to have me in custody. And if he does, I'll figure something out."

After a brief stretch of silence, the Shikimoribito agreed, "Very well. We will take you to the Capital as a prisoner."

Soon they were headed through the massive caves via the river, Kambei's hands tied behind his back.

"Two of my fellow samurai that were with me before will be arriving sometime today. Can I expect them to be treated hospitably despite this… situation?" Kambei asked.

"As long as their stay is short."

"And what of Kyuzo?"

"The injured samurai should not be moved for several more days. He may stay until that time."

"Thank you, I am grateful for your help," Kambei said, just as he spotted a the exit to the cave.

Before long they were out in the sandy windswept expanse standing in front of a massive ship that Kambei remembered very well.

"Perhaps this brings back memories for you?" The Shikimoribito to his left asked. "What was once the flagship of the Imperial Fleet is now the center of trade and government for the new merchant era."

Kambei had known his journey would bring him here, Kyuzo had already informed them of where the Capital had been erected. But now, standing in front of the massive ship, he felt a ripple of unease. It was quickly replaced by determination though, the sooner he got this done, the sooner he could get back. So when the Shikimoribito declared it time to go, he followed readily.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So, I wrote the whole scene between Kikuchiyo and Shichiroji at Gorobei's grave. Then remembered that I hadn't killed Gorobei. lol! Nice display of continuity there. Glad I caught that.

Things get a little complicated when you fuck with the timeline and start changing things like I did, but I think it's fun trying to figure out what would have barreled on anyway, what would have stopped, and what would change.

As you can see, I decided that Ukyo becoming Emperor when he did was something destined to be and the timing of Kambei's arrest wouldn't have changed that. He had his own reasons for wanting to visit the capital and the capture of the assassin was just a convenient excuse the first time around.

/holds up sign with _Artistic License_ written on it/

Hope you're all enjoying the story! Thanks for reading!


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 19**

Kambei was marched down the isle, there were people lining either side, but his eyes were on the figure in seated at the very front of the room. A bright light shown down on Ukyo, illuminating him as if he'd just descended from Heaven. _He probably thinks he has,_ Kambei thought with an internal eye roll. The new Emperor didn't so much as blink as Kambei was forced to his knees in front of him, he just watched with a narrowed gaze.

"Devine Emperor," the Shikimoribito started, "We come before you with information about the envoy that was murdered in Kougakyo. This samurai, Shimada Kambei, has confessed to the crime. And so, in accordance with the capitals decree and-"

"Alright, alright already. You drag me out of bed first thing in the morning and then want to ramble on forever?" Ukyo sighed, looking harassed, but Kambei could see a dark amusement and a shrewd intelligence in Ukyo's eyes that sent his instincts tingling. He was definitely up to something. "Your fealty has been noted. You can go now."

The Shikimoribito scuttled backwards and two imperial guards moved in to take their place at Kambei's sides.

"The assassin of the imperial envoy, hmm?" Ukyo said as rose and paced in front of Kambei. His words may have sounded grave to most, but Kambei swore he could hear an undercurrent of mocking in his tone.

"As a terrorist who incited panic in the city of Kougakyo, I think it only fitting they should see your punishment," Ukyo continued as he stopped and looked down on Kambei. "So, Shimada Kambei, I sentence you to death by beheading. To be carried out tomorrow in Kougakyo."

_Tomorrow?_ _Better than "right now", but that's still not much time …_

"Someone get this big metal beast moving!" Ukyo yelled with a hand wave as he turned and stalked out of the hall.

The guards grabbed Kambei by the arms and hauled him to his feet. He allowed them to roughly pull him through the ship while he mentally mapped their path. Letting them put him in a cell was kind of backing himself into a corner, but he couldn't really make a move until he had more information on the women's whereabouts.

Unfortunately, hours later found Kambei still locked in his cell, no closer to finding the women or figuring out a plan for escape. He wasn't worried, but he was a little restless. God, how he _hated_ waiting. He was just about to give up on his patience and start seriously working on getting out of there when the door slid open.

"Hello, I've brought dinner for you," he heard a young girl say to the guard. "And the prisoner as well."

He didn't look up from his meditative pose as he heard the guard give a grunt and start digging into his food and the girl move closer. He tried to think of a way to subtly bring up the subject of Sanae and the other women being held there, but then decided he didn't have the time for such subterfuge. The Capital was probably nearing Kougakyo at that moment. Opening his eyes, he saw a young short haired girl pushing a tray of food into his cell.

"Excuse me, but do you know if a woman named Sanae is being held here?" He asked point blank, watching her face intently for any sign of a lie.

She looked up at him, wide blue eyes startled, but not frightened. "Y-yes, she is."

"And is she well?"

At this question, the girls face darkened considerably and Kambei felt anxiousness creep up on him. She looked back at Kambei quietly for a moment, seeming to weigh whether she should answer. Finally she shook her head.

"No, she's not well. She… it's kind of complicated…" She trailed off, looking pained. "She was the old Emperor's favorite, you see. At first, it was just to protect us other girls. She said as long as his attention was focused on her, that he'd leave the rest of us alone. But after a while… I think she started to believe her own act. Then there was the pregnancy…"

Kambei's eyes widened, "She's with child?"

The girl shook her head, her face pained. "She _was_… When the old Amanushi died, her grief was so great she lost the child."

Kambei's eyes closed and he rubbed his face tiredly. Nothing could ever be simple, could it?

"Are…" the girl glanced back at the guard who had yet to even glance there way, let alone pay any attention to their conversation. But she lowered her voice and leaned in closer anyway. "Are you here to rescue her?"

Kambei stayed silent, unwilling to confirm or deny anything at this point.

"Please, you have to do something," she pleaded.

"In case you hadn't noticed, I'm about to be executed," he said, still unsure he could trust this girl. "I'd like nothing more than to help her but I'm in no position to do so."

"Liar," the girls amused tone drew his eyes back to her. She nodded, watching him shrewdly. "Yeah, you've got something planned. Why else would you confess? There were no leads on who murdered that envoy, they'd completely given up on finding the culprit. You could have gotten away free and clear. That is if you were the one that had actually done it. "

Kambei watched her quietly; amused and impressed despite himself.

The girl looked back at him unflinchingly, then grinned. "The good news is that I can help you."

Hmm, finally it seemed things could start moving forward. Feigning nonchalance he closed his eyes again and asked, "How many women are there in total?"

"About ten including me."

"By any chance, do you know if one of them has an older sister named Honoka?" It was imperative he locate both of his main targets before he could do anything else.

"Yeah,_ I_ do…"

"You don't say," he said, opening his eyes again. It seemed his earlier complaint of nothing being easy was premature. What luck was it that Honoka's sister would not only appear like this, but be willing to help him?

"My name is Mizuki. Pleasure to meet you, Shimada Kambei," she grinned mischievously as if reading his mind.

The sound of the door opening again wiped the look from her face. She replaced it with one of bland disinterest as she retreated from the cell bars. Kambei watched as she bowed lowly like an obedient servant as Ukyo entered and his eyes caught on the decorative pins she wore in her hair.

_I wonder if she always wears those..._

The new emperor didn't even glance at her. Just gave an impatient wave of his hand accompanied by a muttered "Leave."

Once she was gone, Ukyo just stood in front of the bars, looking slightly amused.

"How is my lovely Kirara these days?"

Kambei stayed silent. Ukyo had obviously come here wanting to play some sort of game with his prisoner, but Kambei wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

"I know you didn't kill the envoy, by the way," Ukyo said as he leaned in close to the bars like he was sharing a secret. "But the true murder _is_ right here in this room."

Kambei kept his expression blank as he stared back into Ukyo's maliciously gleeful eyes. He could plainly see what the new Emperor was implying.

"And why would you assassinate the imperial envoy?"

"I only did it because I was asked to. You see, I was in a position to do someone a favor."

Typical politics then. Kambei wondered who exactly he was dealing with right then. Had everything that occurred been planned by Ukyo? Had he known who he was, how things would play out? He realized he should stop underestimating this opponent.

"What is it you're trying to do here?" Kambei asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Why, conquer the world, of course!" Ukyo answered with a grin that was a little crazy. "So, what does it feel like, waiting to be executed?"

"I would like to die as a warrior," Kambei tried, suddenly struck with inspiration. "Allow me to honor the ritual of cleansing and to commit hara-kiri."

"Hmm, I suppose I can grant the request for ritual cleaning. But… no weapons."

"Why?"

"I can't have you dying on me until you serve your purpose, that's why," Ukyo stated simply, studying his nails in boredom.

Kambei smirked, it seemed Ukyo had something in mind for him and didn't want to risk his death before his plans could be carried out. He really had no wish to commit hara-kiri, he was just hoping it would be that simple to get his sword back. His father had taught him long ago that those that wished to commit hara-kiri over their actions must in some way felt they were wrong and felt shame. If you always followed your own code you'd never feel that shame. Not to say you wouldn't be wrong. But it was better to live with mistakes that you can try and fix than to die with shame that will follow you into the afterlife.

"I'm sorry you won't be afforded a samurai death. You must feel shame being unable to commit hara-kiri. What would you warriors call that? A losing battle?" Ukyo stated, turning his gaze back to Kambei. Probably hoping to see defeat, sadness or disappointment in his eyes.

"I'd suggest you be careful until you actually cut my head off," Kambei said, managing to keep his voice from dropping into a growl at Ukyo's blatant disrespect toward the warrior class and its ways.

"That is adorable! You're still going!" Ukyo exclaimed, clapping his hands together and smiling widely. The smile disappeared quickly though, replaced by a dark serious look. "But you will be dead soon, Kambei. Then Kanna village is next."

The statement rolled over Kambei and dread settled in his stomach as he watched the Emperor leave. Apparently, rescuing the women wouldn't be the end of his work after all…

* * *

"I'm bored," Shichiroji whined, flopping his head around then hanging it low as he scuffed his shoes along the sandy ground in a childish display. At least during the trip in to Kanna he'd had Kirara's cattiness toward Kyuzo and a patrol to entertain him. This time, there was nothing. Heihachi was quiet and easygoing, there had been no patrols, and even Rikichi, who'd insisted on coming and then just followed them when they'd refused, was silently plodding behind them with out a word.

They'd decided to take the path that he, Kyuzo, and Kirara had used since it was the quickest. Now he was starting to wish they'd taken Heihachi's route. Not that he was in to dressing up like a woman, but at least it wouldn't have been boring.

Heihachi chuckled lightly at his statement. "It shouldn't be much further."

He knew he was right, they were in the last stretch now, but it didn't lessen his boredom knowing it. Normally he'd just tease Rikichi, but he knew the other man was lost in thoughts of his wife and finally getting her back, so he left him alone. But just barely. His mind tried to wander into the territory of what he might find when they reached the Shikimoribito, what might have become of Kyuzo, if Kambei would be coming back from the Capital in one piece. But he brutally pressed those questions back into the corner of his mind. There was no use in worrying over those things now, he'd deal with them when more information was actually available to him.

Sighing for the 435th time since they'd left that morning, he twirled his staff around in an intricate maneuver that did nothing to alleviate his boredom. He was actually wishing a patrol would show up. Just as he was starting to wonder how many times he could get away with poking Heihachi with the pointy end of his staff before the man snapped, the entrance to the cave finally came into view.

"Aw, look, they sent a welcoming committee," he said in a faux touched voice when he spotted the dark shapes of the Shikimoribito crouched around the entrance.

He spun his staff around to rest lightly on his shoulder as they came to a stop before their greeters. "Hey guys, did you bring a fruit basket, too?"

But the Shikimoribito remained silent and made no move to lead them inside. While Shichiroji stayed relaxed and unconcerned on the outside, inside he was tensing.

"Something wrong?" Heihachi asked, also looking at ease, but Shichiroji had no doubt the smaller samurai could also sense something was off.

After another beat of silence, one the of the Guardians stood and took a step forward. "We agreed that you would be welcomed here when you arrived, but given the recent state of affairs, your stay must be short. We do not want the Capital to think we are harboring accessories to your leader's crime."

Shichiroji's stomach dropped. "Crime?"

"Shimada Kambei confessed to the murder of the imperial envoy and was delivered to the Capital as a prisoner this morning."

"He did what?!"

The Shikimoribito did not answer, obviously not ones to repeat themselves. Shichiroji rubbed his hand over his face. That idiot! Did that man contain one ounce of self preservation?!

"I'm sure he has a plan," Heihachi spoke up from beside him, but even he sounded a little skeptical.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Shichiroji answered irritably. Any plan that involved Kambei confessing to a high level murder was bound to end badly.

"And how is Kyuzo?" Heihachi asked, making Shichiroji feel like an ass for pretty much forgetting about the other samurai in his worry for his friend.

"The injured samurai is recovering well."

At least there was _some_ good news. Kambei might try and be a little more careful with his life knowing Kyuzo was mending and waiting on his return. But then again, it was Kambei he was talking about…

"Can we see him?"

The Shikimoribito nodded and finally led them inside. Shichiroji glanced back at Rikichi, a little concerned about the man's continued silence. The farmed didn't seem to notice the inspection as he walked behind them, pale and silent with a furrowed brow. He looked both scared and determined and Shichiroji felt a pang of worry for him. If Kambei's "plan" was to go south… He shook his head, again pushing those thoughts away.

Stepping into the room, he spotted Kyuzo immediately. It was weird seeing the other samurai so vulnerable. Shichiroji couldn't stop himself from reaching forward and nudging the blond a little, muscles tensed and ready to spring away in a split second. He was partly relieved and partly disappointed when he didn't so much as twitch.

"Should he still be unconscious?" Heihachi asked, managing to sound both amused and worried.

"The other samurai expressed concern about a violent reaction when he awoke. We felt it would be best to keep him sedated for now."

Shichiroji's mouth fell open as he turned to face the Shikimoribito. "You realize he might kill you for that when he wakes up, right?"

"So we've been told," the Guardian replied sounding much to unconcerned in Shichiroji's opinion.

"Well," Shichiroji said, leaning back to sit on his heals as he looked at Kyuzo. "He looks normal enough. He's not going to wake up with a predilection for rubber suits and face masks, is he?"

Heihachi choked back a laugh next to him. "How do you know he already doesn't like that stuff?"

Shichiroji locked down his mind before the image could even fully form. "Don't, Heihachi. Just … don't."

Heihachi laughed before turning to the Guardians. "What's his recovery time looking like?"

"He should not be moved for another two days."

"And he'll be OK here after we leave? I know you're worried about 'accomplices' and what not." Shichiroji asked bluntly, not caring if he sounded rude. He wasn't going to leave Kyuzo here if he felt for one second the Shikimoribito would use him to gain points with the Capital. He'd rather risk moving him to Firefly House.

"He can stay until he is healed, we've already given our word to the other samurai."

Shichiroji stared at his reflection in the Guardians green gaze, trying to decipher whether he could trust those words or not.

"We can't just leave him here…" Rikichi's soft voice said behind him. Shichiroji started, he'd actually forgotten the farmer was with them for a moment, he'd been so quiet and pensive.

"We don't have much choice. We're supposed to meet Kambei at Firefly House and if it's not safe to move Kyuzo yet…" Heihachi trailed off.

Shichiroji nodded his agreement and laid a hand on Kyuzo's shoulder before standing. He didn't like leaving him like this, but Heihachi was right, they really didn't have much choice. He'd just have to trust that Kambei knew what he was doing when he brought Kyuzo there and that the Shikimoribito would keep their word.

"We were sent to retrieve Honoka to be reunited with her sister…" Shichiroji stated, turning to face the Guardians fully.

"We assumed as much. We've already spoken with her. She is waiting for you outside."

Shichiroji nodded, relieved that there wasn't going to be a problem on that front at least. Casting one last glance at Kyuzo, he led his small group outside to find Honoka.

As the Shikimoribito had said, she was waiting for them by the water, fidgeting slightly with nerves. She broke into a relieved but tight smile when she spotted them and met them half way.

"I'm glad to see you made it safely," she said politely.

"Thank you, it's good to see you again," Shichiroji offered back, playing the game of small talk but already herding her toward the exit.

Instead of being insulted by the move, she seemed relieved and fell easily into a quick the quick pace he set. She settled in beside Rikichi and he saw them share a silent moment of camaraderie. Both warring with hope and fear of what was to come.

Just as they were leaving the settlement behind, a Shikimoribito rappelled down in front of them. "We've just received word that your leader is scheduled to be executed tomorrow in Kougakyo."

Honoka's sharp inhalation came from behind him, but Shichiroji felt no surprise. He'd had no doubt that an execution was where Kambei's confession would lead, he'd just been holding onto the hope that his old friend was wily enough to get out of it unscathed. Actually, this was good news. The fact that execution wasn't being held until tomorrow and that it would be as close as Kougakyo meant that Shichiroji would be able to make it there in time to save his old friend's ass should the need arise.

"Thanks for the update," Shichiroji replied. The Guardian nodded and zipped back up in a way Shichiroji still found disturbing.

Picking up the pace again, Heihachi asked from his right, "So what's the plan?"

"You take Honoka and Rikichi to Firefly House. I'm going to head into Kougakyo for the show."

"Want me to meet up with you after I drop them off?"

"Yeah, I guess you better. Kambei never cuts corners when it comes to getting himself in trouble. It might take both of us to get him out of there alive," Shichiroji answered.

Even though he said the words, part of him also trusted Kambei and his skills. Not to mention his uncanny luck. Shichiroji liked to tease his old friend about how many times he'd saved his ass, but in reality, he was pretty sure Kambei would have found a way to survive without him. That gave him a little comfort, but as he split off from the group and headed into Kougakyo, he still picked up his pace. Whether this was one of those times where Kambei needed his help or not, he'd be there just in case.

* * *

_Everything was red. An endless expanse of red. His limbs felt heavy and burdensome but somehow weightless at the same time. He wasn't sure where he was, or what he was doing there, but it somehow felt familiar. Familiar but not comfortable. Somewhere he was used to being but not somewhere he wished to be. _

_Sensing movement, he glanced down to see a pale hand appear, followed by a pale arm, then a pale face. A face he knew. A face he'd killed. He tried to shuffle back, away from the reaching hand and the empty eyes, but his movements were ungainly and slow. As if he were underwater. His eyes widened as the thought burst into realization. That's exactly where he was. No, not exactly. Not underwater… Under blood. A brief memory of a giant wave of blood flashed through him. It must have caught him. He must have been too slow to get away. _

_Focused as he was on the person below him, he didn't notice the one behind him at all. Not until boney fingers sunk into his shoulder. He opened his mouth, a pained shout working its way out of his throat, but blood rushed in, blocking off its escape. At the same time that the thick taste of iron was invading his mouth, a hand clamped down on his calf. Then another on his other thigh. And another gripped his arm._

_A feeling he was unfamiliar with welled up inside of him, filling him with a ragged tingling sensation and locking out any kind of logic. He found himself flailing wildly as a result. Doing anything he could to get the grabbing hands off of him. _

_Finally feeling the last hand release him, he surged upwards. Or at least what he thought was upwards. At this point it didn't really matter though, simply moving did. And after a few moments of struggling, it seemed he was actually making progress. The shade of red was lightening, and he was able to make out lighter shifting rays of what could be sunlight cutting through the murk._

_After a few more desperate lunges he could make out the surface and a familiar silhouette. The white clothing and long dark hair were distorted by the rippling liquid, but it didn't stop him from recognizing the figure or the relief that flooded through him at the sight. But as he was nearing his salvation, something wrapped around his ankle, jerking him back just as his fingers brushed the surface. Looking back down, horror stole through him at the sight of the writhing mass of pale limbs and glassy accusing eyes. A pale slimy hand was wrapped firmly around his foot and relentlessly pulled him back down. He kicked and squirmed but couldn't get it to release him. _

_Defeat flowed through him, it had been stupid to think he could get away in the first place. His limbs slowed their fight and he closed his eyes in weary resignation. Suddenly, there was someone else grabbing him. This time from above. A dark tattooed hand was gripping his wrist and pulling him steadily toward the top. The hand on his ankle scrambled to get its grip back, but ultimately it was no match for its opponent and Kyuzo felt himself breaking the surface after what felt like an eternity of drowning in the sea of blood._

Kyuzo burst from the dream like he'd really been drowning; wide eyed and gasping. Only the adrenaline pumping through his veins from the nightmare allowed him sense the danger. He rolled to the right and heard the soft "_fwip_" right next to him as the dart imbedded itself in the mattress.

His eyes immediately sought out the threat even though his mind was still stumbling to catch up. Unfortunately, the sight of the suited being in the doorway of an unfamiliar room brought more questions to his messy thoughts than answers.

_Shikimoribito? When…_

Kyuzo struggled to find some order in his mind. The last thing he remembered was resting alongside the water, listening to Kambei's deep hypnotizing voice and feeling warm and content. Abruptly, another memory flashed through his mind. One of viewing Kambei's chest and face from an awkward angle.

_He was carrying me!_

Fury and embarrassment warred within him at the small scrap of remembrance. Sensing the Shikimoribito was making another move, he acted instinctually. It wasn't often that he attacked without his swords, but that didn't mean he was incapable. Far from it actually. Though he was rankled at the knowledge that his trusty blades weren't in the room and disturbed by the realization he was only wearing a robe, it didn't hinder his lightning quick attack on the Shikimoribito. Grabbing his arm he swung in a graceful arc around the retaliatory blow being aimed at him and twisted the arm brutally behind the others back. He wanted to snarl out a question, but he was honestly at a loss of where to start. Taking the option out of his hands, the Shikimoribito spoke first, its voice tight with pain.

"Your life was in our hands. We repaired potentially fatal injuries."

The revelation did nothing to curb Kyuzo's fury, his grip remained unyeilding. "Where is Shimada Kambei?"

Maybe that wasn't the most pressing question of the moment but it was the one at the forefront of his mind.

"He confessed to murdering the imperial envoy and has been remanded into the custody of the Capital. He's to be executed in Kougakyo today," the Guardian answered quickly, starting to squirm a bit under the pressure Kyuzo was exerting on his arm.

_Confessed to… And he called me reckless?!_

"Samurai, I must ask that you release him immediately," a voice came from the doorway, where three more Shikimoribito stood.

Kyuzo's lipped curled in anger as he glanced at the dart protruding from the bedding where he'd been lying, making the reason for his ire obvious to all present.

"I apologize, but it seemed to be the best way to ensure your recovery. If anything happened to you while he was gone, he would not be pleased with us."

Kyuzo did not have to ask who "he" was, and felt a flutter of warmth flow through him. It was quickly replaced by anger though as he recalled the words about an execution scheduled for today.

"If anything happens to him while I'm stuck here, I will kill you all."

They seemed to pause at this. He wasn't sure if it was the words, or his tone, or his stance, or maybe they could just tell in some other way that he was telling the absolute truth. That if something were to happen to Shimada Kambei while he was here, drugged into oblivion, he would massacre every last one of them.

Finally, the one in front nodded. "I'll have your clothes and swords brought to you, we won't try and stop you again."

Kyuzo nodded, but didn't release his hostage. It took the Shikimoribito a moment to realize that he wasn't going to just trust them, but then one of them disappeared, moments later reappearing with a stack of neatly folded clothes in one hand and his swords in the other. Kyuzo felt a flare of irritation at seeing his blades in someone else's hands but pressed it down. With a seemingly effortless swing, he shoved his hostage forward as soon as his possessions were laid on the floor. He didn't move for them immediately though, just watched the four Guardians and waited to see if they'd really meant what they'd agreed too.

It seemed that they did, because they backed out of the door and left Kyuzo alone. He kept his guard up as he dressed though, not trusting them at all. As he pulled on his coat he finally took notice of how easy it was to breath again. A faint ache was the only evidence he'd been so severely injured at all. He felt a grudging respect toward the Shikimoribito worm its way in. While he was still pissed about being drugged, he had to admit they'd done an excellent job on his injuries.

As he stepped out outside, he remained cautious of another sneak dart attack. He walked briskly from the settlement, his eyes everywhere, taking every detail and possible threat. Finally, when he felt he was far enough away, he let his mind wander to Kambei and his upcoming execution. He was sure the older samurai had a plan and trusted his abilities. But it didn't mean he wasn't going to be there to back him up.

He realized then that it seemed as if he was breathing easier. Not because of his mended ribs, but because some weight had been lifted. Yes, he was worried about Kambei. But, he was _okay_ with being worried. Some part of him had finally accepted this new path. The old and the new were finally merging together and he didn't feel so unbalanced anymore. He knew now that he couldn't go back to being alone and purposeless. It was fine when he didn't know what it was to be alive, what it was to… care? Love? He wasn't quite straight on the labels yet. What he did know was that those were things he couldn't unlearn now that he'd experienced them. Couldn't and didn't want to. He'd rather die.

And with that calm determination in mind, Kyuzo followed the path to Kougakyo, where Kambei was waiting for him.


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 20**

By the time Kyuzo reached Kougakyo the late morning air was humid and stifling. Already, the massive Capital was hovering above the skyline, making him fear for a moment that he was too late. But as he crept toward his target, keeping to the shadows so he wouldn't be spotted, he heard random citizens talking about the upcoming execution and learned it wasn't to be held until late that afternoon.

The thickness of the air was difficult for his newly healed lungs to cope with much to his irritation - he shouldn't have been so winded by the short trip. Stopping in one of the shadowed alleyways, he tried to catch his breath - feeling as though he was underwater. That comparison gave him a chill for a reason he couldn't quite grasp, but he was stopped from contemplating it more by the sound of a scuffle in the alcove behind him. Such things were not uncommon in Kougakyo and he was about to ignore it and continue on his way when the sound of a familiar voice, tinged with fear and panic, reached his ears.

Creeping toward the commotion, he was able to make out Maro's generous form on the ground, one hand trying to drag himself backwards on the dirty alley floor while the other was held out in front of him in a useless defensive gesture against two armored guards and a samurai who obviously had no sense of pride if he walked around with his stomach exposed like that.

Years of working as the man's bodyguard had him moving forward and drawing his swords without thought, blocking the downward stroke of one of the guards and retaliating in a blur of blades that left the two guards in smoking ruins on the ground. He heard Maro say his name but didn't take his focus from the mohawked samurai in front of him. The man was sweating and shaking, asking him 'why', but Kyuzo's attention shifted to the slight movement further back in the alley. Another opponent. Apparently one that had plans of returning to the Capital and ruining his chance at surprise if he didn't stop him now.

He cut through the still rambling man in front of him without a second thought and went to chase after the other man, but Maro's hand clenching the material of his coat stopped him.

"Please! Please, Kyuzo, don't leave me here! Ukyo will send more men after me!"

Kyuzo paused in confusion, despite his sense of urgency. "Ukyo?"

"When he was made Emperor he assigned me as Warehouse Manager, but Tessai suggested I take the first opportunity to flee…"

_Ukyo was the new Emperor? That was disturbing news. What the hell had been going on around here?_

"There's a place to the east called _Firefly House_, go there, you will be safe," Kyuzo said turning back towards his quarry. Duty made him feel as though he should accompany his former employer, but something much stronger was telling him to get to Kambei. He barely heard Maro's distressed calling of his name as he sprinted off into the shadowy alley.

Pushing himself hard, he tried to catch up to the other man before he could reach the Capital, it would severely complicate things if they were alerted to his arrival in the city. Turning down another alley, he grinned viciously as he felt killing ki appear behind him. Evidently, the other man had decided to lay in wait for him instead of going straight back to the ship. Excellent news for Kyuzo, not-so-excellent news for his would-be ambusher. Dodging easily to the left, he avoided the incoming strike from behind and returned with one of his own.

The fight was fast paced and Kyuzo relished the slight challenge. The man was somewhat skilled but far too overconfident. Kyuzo offered him a simple opening and the man struck for it immediately, never realizing he'd been tricked. Kyzuo parried his blow and removed his head in the blink of an eye.

He took a moment to nudge the body, and its head, off into the darkest corner of the alley they'd been fighting in before resuming his trek, breathing hard but feeling exhilarated by the short battle.

Soon the familiar looming structure of the Capital was before him. After the end of the Great War, the Amanushi had assigned Kyuzo one last task before calling him to the Capital to meet with him in person. After he'd completed that job, the Amanushi had placed complete faith in the blond samurai's loyalty and allowed him full run of the ship until their meeting and for the day following it. He'd used the time to wander the corridors endlessly. Sleep was an illusive luxury at the time and after being at war for so long, his instincts wouldn't let him just relax in a strange new place - he'd mapped and memorized, pinpointed weaknesses and strengths, unable to stop himself.

Using these memories made slipping into the Capital almost too easy and he took a moment to be absolutely disgusted at the dismal quality of the security. The former Emperor hadn't felt that he needed samurai bodyguards in the Capital since he had his own fleet of security clones and armored guards, but this just went to show that quantity did not override quality. Although, if Ukyo was the new Amanushi, then Tessai might be around here somewhere, and while Kyuzo had never seen him fight personally, he'd heard rumors that he was very skilled.

It had been a while since he'd been there but the memories still served him well, helping him find lesser used passages and ventilation shafts as he made his way to the upper floors. His plan was to first make sure the women were safe - if they weren't he knew that any action he took to liberate Kambei would be in vain because the stubborn older samurai would just come charging back in again. After that, he wouldn't have time to get close enough to the execution, so instead he'd get to one of the gun ports that were equipped with long distance sighting guns. Then he could see the events of the execution unfold and provide any assistance to Kambei should he need it.

He crept through another ventilation shaft, thankful for his thin frame, and dropped silently into a dark corridor. The women's quarters should be just around the corner from here. But just as he started to move forward, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the hall towards him, forcing him to halt his progress and fall back into the shadows.

"They should be thankful," a woman's snotty voice floated to him. He recognized her immediately as one of Ukyo's favorites from the Magistrates Mansion. "Being our servants has to be better than being that old freaks whores. I mean, wasn't he in a tank or something? How gross… and boring…"

The familiar woman's voice floated down the corridor to him as he saw their silhouettes disappear into a room to the right. So, the old consorts had been replaced with Ukyo's harem. That meant that the women he was searching for wouldn't be where he was headed. Probably somewhere on the same floor though. He slipped back into the ventilation shaft and started creeping through the ceilings, peering down into the different rooms he passed until he finally found one that looked promising. A scattering of women were standing about, looking lost and depressed, one was even bedridden.

"I should have been able to do more," one girl choked out with a sob. "He came here to rescue Sanae and now he's going to die…"

Bingo.

Wasting no more time now that he knew he'd found the right room, Kyuzo popped the vent and dropped lightly into the room. The women all looked shocked, but none of them screamed.

_Yet…_

"He's not going to die," he said, directing his statement to the young teary eyed girl that had been speaking.

Her eyes widened with hope, "He's not? Are you a friend of his?"

Kyuzo wondered for a split second about that. Were they friends? Again, he wasn't sure about the labels, so he just nodded.

"It's time for you to leave here. Is she injured?" He asked nodding to Sanae, who was watching the proceedings with only a slight amount of interest. He wasn't an expert on human behavior, but one would think a strange man dropping out of the ceiling for a rescue would garner a little more enthusiasm.

"She's… ill," the girl replied quietly.

There were eight women in total, too many to take through the ventilation shafts, not to mention the one barely looked like she had the energy to walk. He'd just take them the least populated way he could. Hopefully most of the occupants would be busy with preparations for the execution. And if he did run into anyone… well, he'd deal with that then.

"Let's go," he said, turning toward the door.

"Come on, Sanae. Lets get out of here," the girl said, walking with purpose over to the woman in the bed.

"I can't go, I will mourn the death of my Amanushi and his child for the rest of my life," the woman Kyuzo now knew to be Sanae said quietly before closing her eyes and turning her head away from the girl.

"Sanae, please…"

_We don't have time for this…_

While the revelation that she'd been with child explained her state, Kyuzo didn't have the time or the patience to play nursemaid to her self pity.

"They will not leave you. Your selfishness will doom them to a life of servitude here," Kyuzo said bluntly, staring hard at the woman in front of him.

Sanae's eyes shot open and she stared back at him before turning her eyes on the girls, who all nodded in determination. Tears came to her eyes and she shook her head, but finally whispered, "Fine, lets go."

Kyuzo went to the door while they helped her up and listened intently as they gathered behind him. Once he determined there was no one in the hall he opened it and slid out, looking around then motioning them to stay there while he checked both ends of the corridor. Once he deemed it clear, he waved them to him and so began their decent through the Capital.

The women weren't nearly as light on their feet as he was, and though they were obviously trying to be quiet, the sound of the echoing footsteps they left behind had him gritting his teeth a few times. They only ended up being seen by two guards, which was pretty much a miracle in Kyuzo's opinion. He quickly dispatched each of them in near silence, but then he had to take the time to hide the bodies. It would make things much harder for him to get to the gun port if they knew they had an intruder creeping around.

It took longer than he'd hoped it would, but they finally reached the exit. Once outside, half the women immediately took off on their own. But Sanae, a girl he'd heard them call 'Mizuki', and two others just looked at him, waiting for him to make the next move.

Almost everyone in the city would be attending the execution, so it would probably be safe for them to get to Firefly House on their own. He really didn't like that option, but it wasn't as if he could leave before he knew of Kambei's fate. Maybe he could stash them somewhere safe for now and come back for them later. His sharp eyes were looking for a somewhere they could hide until he was finished when he spotted the familiarly spiked blond hair and lavender overcoat of Shichiroji.

_Perfect…_

"Go to that man over there," he said, pointing out the other samurai. "His name is Shichiroji and he'll make sure you get to safety."

They looked at him dubiously for a second before Mizuki nodded in determination.

"Thank you, great samurai," she said, looking at him grimly and starting to lead the other women away. She paused and turned back, looking impossibly young as she asked, "Kambei… he's going to be alright… isn't he?"

Kyuzo smirked a little. Kambei, drawing loyal followers everywhere he went.

"Yes, he will be."

She nodded and smiled in relief as they picked their way through the crowd to Shichiroji. Kyuzo saw him start as they came up next to him, looking at them in shock. Knowing they had Shichiroji to watch out for them now, he turned back and swiftly made his way back into the Capital.

He returned to using the ventilation shafts when he could, it was awkward and uncomfortable and made his healing lung itch, but it was the quickest and safest route to where he needed to be. By the time he was nearing his destination, he could hear the drums starting to pound, signaling the beginning of the execution. Beads of sweat broke out around his hairline as he pushed himself faster.

Finally recognizing the hall that contained the gun port rooms, he dropped out of the ceiling silently and entered the first one. The guard inside whipped around, opening his mouth in shock at the intrusion, but Kyuzo quickly dispatched him and toed his bleeding body into the corner. Not that that helped really, the room was tiny, just a chair, a control panel and viewing panel.

He studied the panel in front of him, trying to dredge up the relevant information. He'd been trained how to use such equipment, but he'd never done so before. The viewing panel was currently focused on the crowd, and he needed to move it so he could see Kambei. Finally locating the right button sequence, the lens spun and zoomed in on the man surrounded by guards.

There, in a white ceremonial robe, his long hair pulled back and the black collar snapped around his neck, the vision Kambei made forced the air from Kyuzo's lungs. Heat pooled low in his belly and his mouth went dry. He shook his head, shocked at his loss of control and the inappropriate timing of his lust.

Forcing himself back on track, he scanned the area, mentally rolling his eyes at the dramatic display, then went back to studying the buttons in on the panel in front of him. The other guards along with the ones in the control room would be alerted if he armed the guns now - he'd have to wait until the last possible second.

Focusing the camera back on Kambei, he watched with rising tension as they forced him to his knees and the executioner approached. Something was very wrong with the sight of Kambei restrained and forced into submission like that, the sight of it left him breathless with fury as his hands twitched over the controls. He went to press the first of the buttons that would allow him use of the guns as the executioner raised his blade. But just as his finger brushed the button he saw the glint of metal in Kambei's fingers and stopped, realizing his worry had been for nothing.

He watched Kambei escape with a strange feeling of pride welling in him, a smug feeling that someone like that was _his. _

Zooming the lens out a bit, Kyuzo could see the excitement of the people, the support for his escape, and turned his gaze to Ukyo. The former magistrates son turned emperor had been spoiled and mouthy, but he was also cunning and manipulative. Kyuzo knew he'd use this opportunity to somehow make himself look good. And as he watched him stand and address the public, he couldn't hear his words but he didn't need to, he could tell his suspicions had just been proved right on. Kyuzo had no doubt that Ukyo had just seen the way the people had cheered on Kambei's narrow evasion of death and turned it to his advantage. Pardoning the accused and making himself seem like the new benevolent ruler somehow.

But Kyuzo knew better - he'd be plotting something. Some kind of revenge. Ukyo was an expert at offering hope and praise to your face while stabbing you in the back. Kyuzo knew that the man hated the Nobuseri, a traumatic incident in the farming village he'd been from ensured that, but he also knew that Ukyo wouldn't let an act of rebellion like the one Kanna had shown just drop. Maybe the old emperor would have just blown it off as a loss, but Ukyo wouldn't think like that.

Maybe he should stick around here until he found out exactly what the new emperor was up to…

* * *

Shichiroji made his way through the crowd easily, giving friendly smiles and talking bullshit with the people of Kougakyo as he inched his way toward the front of the viewing area. The execution would be starting soon and he wanted to be as close as he could.

As he wiggled his way past a large woman with alarmingly purple hair, an old man bumped into him and was sent stumbling back. He reached out quickly, helping the man right himself before he could hit the ground and offered an apology even though it wasn't his fault. All for the sake of appearance. Inside, he was more than a little angry that all these people were here to watch his best friend be beheaded, like it was some kind of performance piece or festival.

Shaking his head slightly, he was about to resume his forward momentum when he felt a slight tug on his coat. Glancing back he was met with the sight of three girls and one richly dressed woman.

"You're Shichiroji, right? We were told to find you."

It only took him half a second to figure out who they must be.

"You're from the capital…"

The girl that had spoken nodded. "Your friend told us you'd help us."

_Damn that Kambei was a smooth bastard. Saving women at the same time he's being marched out for execution._

Shichiroji shook his head with a incredulous smile inching on his face. He'd have to give the old man this one, it was pretty impressive.

"Looks like I made it in time," a familiar soft voice came from his left.

Looking down he was met with Heihachi's grinning face.

"Good timing, Heihachi," Shichiroji said, pleasantly surprised to see the other samurai so soon.

"I do aim to please," he answered. "So, what's going on?"

"These are the women from the capital," Shichirjoi said, motioning to the four women behind him. He paused as a thought struck him, "There's only four of you? No others?"

"They took off on their own as soon as we escaped, they'll be fine, they all have family nearby," the girl answered.

Nodding, Shichiroji turned back to Heihachi. "As you can see, we're not exactly inconspicuous here. You take the women, go back down the main street until it dead ends and take a right, then another right into the first alley you come to. Wait there."

"And you?"

"I'm going to make sure our fearless leader makes it out of here alive," Shichiroji answered in a low voice. Then turning back to the women he said, "Ladies, this is Heihachi. Go with him, he'll keep you safe."

As they disappeared off into the crowd, Shichiroji heard a low murmur rise up from the people around him. Following their gaze he saw Kambei, dressing in ritual whites and surrounded by guards coming down the long stairway.

_That bastard, look at him. Walking like he's the executioner instead of the one about to have his head on the block. _

Shichiroji shook his head, in actuality, he wasn't all that amused. How many times did Kambei think he could get away with stunts like these and come out unscathed?

As his old friend was forced to his knees, Shichiroji popped the back of his arm open inconspicuously, readying the grappling hook for deployment. He planned on aiming it at the huge executioner, keeping him from taking Kambei's head and causing enough of a commotion that it would enable him to get to the platform. Hopefully.

_I'm starting to plan like Kambei…_

The executioner lifted his blade and Shichiroji lifted his arm, but just as he was about to loose the hook, he caught the glint of light off something metal in Kambei's hand.

Shaking his head, he remained on guard but lowered his arm. It seemed Kambei's luck would hold out for a little longer after all. He'd seen him perform this exact same escape 8 years ago when their ship had been shot down in enemy territory. He'd managed to scoop up a random metal pin from the ground that had been littered with broken ship parts and popped his cuffs off within seconds by focusing his ki into it.

He watched the familiar sight of Kambei avoiding death by inches and then proceeding to kick every ass within range with amusement and fondness. He'd meant it when he said he was ready to settle down at Firefly House, but damn if he wasn't going to miss this. Maybe after this was all over he could join up with Kambei every few months for a little ass kicking. If Kambei's new lover boy didn't mind. And if Yukino didn't kill him.

"STOP!" The sound of Ukyo's echoing voice drew him from his thoughts. He listened with increasing disbelief as the new emperor managed to pass off Kambei's escape as a benevolent action on his part. And the people were _buying _it.

"Stop! The desire of this man to live have moved me! He had indeed committed a heinous crime, but I believe he was pushed to such actions by our former emperor. Desperate times call for desperate measures and this man, like so many, was beaten down by the ways of the former ruler and felt he had no choice but to try and FORCE a change. A sad, misguided, but understandable action. Even now, he fights to LIVE! And I, as your new emperor, cannot in good conscious kill him for such a thing. I can tell you now that things will be different, I grew up in a farming village myself and have lived in this city for many years, seeing its hardships for myself. But no longer! No longer will people such as this once great samurai be forced into such dire actions!"

Ukyo continued on for a little while longer, but Shichiroji tuned him out, instead focusing on Kambei. The look of mixed shock and disgust on his old friends face as he listened to Ukyo's speech and watched his dramatic pacing and hand waving made Shichiroji laugh out loud.

Moments later Kambei was given back his possessions and was making his way toward Shichiroji, looking a little shell-shocked. Shichiroji couldn't blame him, he was shocked himself.

_Well, I'll be damned. He actually had a plan that worked…_

__

_

* * *

_

Kambei made his way down from the execution platform and into the crowd, nodding politely to the offers of congratulations of some of the citizens. It seemed Ukyo's ploy had worked, they all looked heartened by his little speech. Kambei's main concern right now was getting to Shichiroji, though. He'd been shocked when he looked down from the execution stand to see his old friend standing there with Heihachi, Mizuki and three other women. Shocked and relieved. His plan had been to escape and take Ukyo hostage, exchanging him for the women's release. That could have gotten very messy.

Catching sight of Shichiroji again through the thinning crowd, he grinned, glad his old friend had taken it upon himself to offer up some assistance. _Maybe Shichrioji was right_, Kambei thought as he closed the distance between them. _Maybe I do need to work on my planning skills._

"Glad to see you managed to keep your head," Shichiroji grinned as he slapped Kambei on the shoulder, before turning and leading him down the main road.

"Indeed, it was a little too close for comfort," Kambei conceded. "But everything worked out well in the end," he threw in, not wanting to completely admit defeat.

"Yes, it did. Good job there, old man," Shichiroji said as he was distracted by a small group of beautiful women on the side of the road by a bar entrance.

Although the words were spoken easily, Kambei could hear the sarcasm he was sure his friend meant to inflict. He had a feeling this plan would be one that would be thrown back in his face at a later date - like the 'almost being cremated' and the 'lets hijack a Nobusari' ones. But that was OK, it's just how things went between them.

"Where are the women now?"

"Just around the corner. I sent them off with Heihachi in case your plan to get yourself killed was successful."

"I wasn't trying to get myself killed," Kambei growled. He knew things hadn't quite went the way he'd wanted, but that didn't mean he thought he was wrong in his actions.

"Oh really, and since when does a good plan involve you being sentenced to an execution."

Kambei opened his mouth to argue, but his friend continued before he could get the words out.

"Since never, that's when," Shichiroji said with a hint of actual anger.

Kambei softened, realizing Shichiroji had just been worried about him. During the Great War, Shichiroji had teasingly been called Kambei's "old wife" because of his tendency to nag and yell after a close call. Kambei had a feeling a lecture on his lack of self preservation and planning skills was about to erupt, but to his great relief it was forestalled by Heihachi stepping out of an alley to his right with Mizuki, two other girls and a finely dressed woman that Kambei could only assume was Sanae.

"We should move in case the guards start sweeping the city," Shichiroji said tightly, leading the way with Heihachi at his side.

Kambei sighed in relief, Shichiroji's anger could be intense when invoked but it was usually short lived. Hopefully he'd cool down before they reached Firefly House.

Two of the girls and Sanae followed behind Shichiroji and Heihachi, one at each side. Kambei couldn't help but notice how pale and listless she looked and felt bad for Rikichi. Their upcoming reunion would not be the occasion of joy he'd hoped it would be.

He took up the rear and Mizuki fell in step beside him, smiling up at him widely.

"I'm glad to see you all got out safe," Kambei said, returning her infectious smile with one of his own.

"Yes, that blond samurai friend of yours was very helpful," she said with a smile.

"That's not exactly what I'd usually call him," Kambei said, shooting a glance at Shichiroji who was talking with Heihachi. "But in this case I'd have to agree."

"I was really worried," she admitted softly, looking down at the ground as they followed the others. "But then he told me you would be fine, and I could see it in his eyes - that he wouldn't let anything happen to you, and I felt better."

Kambei felt a flash of warmth toward his old friend, and a bubble of guilt wormed its way up for having made him worry.

"Did he have to save you?" She asked.

The warmth was swept away and replaced by irritation. "No, he didn't. I was perfectly capable of an escape on my own, and I had a plan in place to come back and get you all after that," he said, trying not to sound huffy at the insinuation that Shichiroji was the only reason any of them were standing there.

"Where are the other women?" He asked, wanting to steer the conversation in another direction.

"They all went back to their families. Koharu and Chiaki," she motioned toward the two other girls, "they don't have anywhere to go. The bandits killed their families and destroyed their villages."

"Don't worry, we'll find a safe place for them," Kambei said as he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Luckily, the streets were still mostly empty as they made there way east. The sun was setting, bringing in cooler air and setting the city awash in a crimson glow that reminded Kambei of Kyuzo. The desire to see the blond samurai was so intense right then that for a moment he considered leaving them to continue without him and going on to the Shikimoribito by himself. Logic and duty soon overrode that wish though. Ukyo still posed a threat to Kanna and he needed to speak with Shichiroji and Heihachi about it, figure out what they should do next. Plus Rikichi and Honoka were waiting for their loved ones. People Kambei himself had promised to deliver safely.

Tomorrow then. He'd go to Kyuzo tomorrow. At least he knew where he was and that he was safe...

**Author's Note:** So, Kambei thinks Shichiroji rescued the women, Shichiroji thinks Kambei's responsible and Kyuzo's wandering around the Capital getting no credit. Wooo! Chapter 20! lol! Sorry it took so long btw, I have a bad habit of procrastinating when I have to go back and reference the DVD's for something. And about Kyuzo's mysterious "job" he was assigned before he met with the former Emperor - that will be explained in the next chapter. Thanks for reading!


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

The reunion between Rikichi and Sanae had to have been the single most awkward situation Shichiroji had ever witnessed. And that included the time his dad had walked in on him getting naked and naughty with the neighbor girl.

There had been a lot of pleading, sobbing and pained silence - both before and after Sanae locked herself in a guest room upstairs. Now all them, minus the broken couple, were gathered in one of the larger rooms used for entertainment on the first floor.

Despite that, i t was good to be home. The soft tatami floors, the warm lighting, the lingering scent of sake and perfume, and of course Yukino. She was currently tucked tightly against Shichiroji's side and he was reveling in the sweet smell of her. Of course he'd missed her while he'd been gone, but he hadn't really realized how much until now - caught up in the excitement of stepping back into the battlefield after five years as he was. But now, having her so close, her curvy, warm body pressed against his, her flowery fragrance and the way she looked at him, loving yet mischievous - it made him wonder how he'd gone without her for so long.

Kambei was sitting directly across from him, one leg folded beneath him and the other bent with an arm resting on his knee. He was smiling and talking with Honoka and Mizuki who were sitting to his right. The two sisters had had a joyful tear filled reunion - a pleasant scene after what had gone on between Rikichi and Sanae - and were currently holding hands as though they were afraid to let each other go. Heihachi sat to Kambei's left and munching quietly on a rice ball while occasionally joining the lighthearted conversation. The two other girls that had come with them had looked exhausted, so Yukino had sent them off with one of the girls that worked there to get something to eat and some rest.

The rude things that were coming out of Mizuki's mouth about the new emperor and the way her sister was chastising her for her language made Shichiroji laugh while he reached for another drink. As he was setting his glass back down, a light tapping came at the door and it slid open a few inches to reveal one of the hostesses beckoning to Yukino. Sighing slightly, she made a move to get up, but Shichiroji just tightened his grip on her. She shot him an exasperated look, but the twitching of her lips as she fought off a smile ruined the effect. He sighed dramatically before pulling her in for a quick kiss and then releasing her, turning back to the conversation as she stepped out into the hall.

"Oh, I borrowed this," Kambei was saying as he pulled out a decorative hair pin and handed it to Mizuki.

"My mother gave me this…" Mizuki said as she reached out and took the pin from Kambei.

"Her way of helping even from the afterlife," Honoka said with a sad smile as she took the pin from Mizuki and gently re placed it in the girls hair.

Mizuki smiled at her sister but then turned a playful look at Kambei. "I don't know, Kambei. I'm not getting a very good impression of samurai here. All sneaks, liars and thieves it seems like to me."

"I'll remember that moral high ground of yours the next time you need saved," Kambei said dryly though his eyes betrayed his amusement.

"Speaking of, isn't your blond friend going to join us? The one from the Capital?" Mizuki asked, her grin disappearing and being replaced by one of curiosity.

Shichiroji blinked in confusion and Kambei shot a look at him.

"Not him," Mizuki said with an eye roll. "The one that rescued us."

"You didn't rescue them?" Kambei asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I thought you did," Shichiroji replied in surprise. If Kambei hadn't sent the women to him, then who had?

"He said he was a friend of yours," Mizuki continued, looking between the two of them.

"And he had blond hair?" Kambei asked in bewilderment.

Shichiroji's breath skittered to a halt as the realization hit him a split second before Mizuki continued.

"Yeah, and a long red coat."

Shichiroji's eyes shot to Kambei, who's face went slack and pale. What the hell? What the fuck was Kyuzo doing in the Capital? Suddenly Kambei's eyes took on a distinctly accusatory glare and his jaw tightened. Shichiroji held his hands out and shook his head rapidly.

"I swear, he was there and fine and unconscious when we went through. And according to the Shikimoribito, he was supposed to stay that way until tomorrow or the day after," he said quickly before shooting a desperate look at the only one that could back his story. "Heihachi?"

"It's true. We both saw him. He was out like a light, man," Heihachi said, his brows furrowed.

"Where was he?" Kambei asked, his intensity as his attention swung back to Mizuki had the girl's eyes widening and Shichiroji had no doubt that if she'd been standing, she would have backed a few steps away from him.

"Well, he just appeared in our rooms - dropped out of a ceiling vent. Then he led us out, pointed out Shichiroji, said he'd help us, and that was the last we saw of him."

"Dammit," Kambei hissed, pulling himself suddenly to his feet. "You didn't see if he was headed back inside?"

"No," Mizuki shook her head. Then a thoughtful look came over her face, "But…"

Kambei, who had started pacing the floor, stopped and looked at her again, "But, what?"

"Well, a couple guards saw us when we were escaping. He killed them…" she paused, looking a little green, before continuing after a shake of her head. "Then he took the time to hide them. Hide them, like, _really_ well."

Kambei and Shichiroji shared a look, both fully aware that if Kyuzo had no intention of returning to the Capital that he wouldn't have gone to such lengths. Apparently, Mizuki had pieced that together as well.

"Just because he went back, doesn't mean he's still there," Heihachi said reasonably, drawing their attention. "He didn't know we were planning on meeting here, right? So maybe he's just in the city somewhere."

Kambei seemed to weigh this options, the look on his face somewhere between pissed, scared, and thoughtful. Suddenly, he spun toward the door, jerking open with a vehemence that left Shichiroji surprised it didn't rip right off its tracks.

"Kambei? Where are you going?" He asked, images of his warm bed and a sweaty night with Yukino already dissipating like smoke.

"To find Kyuzo," he answered, long determined strides carrying him out of the room.

* * *

Kambei stalked toward the exit of the room, his mind a whirlwind of fury and worry. What was Kyuzo playing at?!

"Kambei? Where are you going?" He heard Shichiroji ask behind him, and from the resigned sound of his tone, he was sure his old friend already knew the answer to that question.

"To find Kyuzo," he answered, ripping the door open.

There was no way Kyuzo was well enough to be creeping around the Capital, executing rescue missions and dispatching guards. And weren't the Shikimoribito supposed to be keeping him sedated? Did they decide having him there was too big of a risk? Or did Kyuzo just wake up on his own and actually kill them all. Kambei's eyes widened a bit as he rounded a corner, realizing that was actually a possibility.

With his mind occupied as it was, he almost wasn't able to stop himself from running directly into Yukino. He opened his mouth to apologize when he took notice of the short round figure huddled nervously behind her.

_Ayamaro… What's he doing here …_

"What's he doing here?" Shichiroji asked, coming up behind Kambei and voicing the question aloud.

"Oh, so that's why he said I'd be safe here…" Ayamaro's quiet voice said as he eyed Kambei.

"Who said you'd be safe here?" Kambei asked.

"Why, Kyuzo, of course," he answered haughtily. "He saved me from some of Ukyo's thugs and told me to come here. Though it took me a little while, I got a bit turned around…"

"Wha- Kyu-" Kambei couldn't even form the words. Now he was running around fighting off "thugs" and saving former magistrates?!

"Uh… maybe we should go sit down and you can tell us what you know," Shichiroji stepped in, eyeing Kambei like he might explode any minute.

Kambei closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to get his irritation under control as Yukino and Ayamaro walked past him to follow Shichiroji back into the room he'd just vacated.

"Kyuzo's far from helpless, you know," Heihachi's soft voice came from behind him. "It's understandable that you're worried about him, but there's no reason to think he's in any kind of trouble yet."

Kambei sighed and turned to face the shorter samurai who was leaning against the wall in the hallway looking back at him seriously.

"He's recovering from a serious injury. He should _not_ be out-" Kambei waved his hand around, losing his words to his frustration again.

"He's been taking care of himself for a long time Kambei. And as sad of a fact as it may be, you're probably the only person that's ever cared for his wellbeing. Despite that, he's still here. I think we need to trust that he can at least handle himself until we can back him up."

Kambei stared at the young man in front of him, once again impressed with his insight and forthright way of speaking the truth.

"Let's just go see what information Ayamaro can give us, then we'll decide what to do next," Heihachi continued in that maddeningly calm tone.

_Damn him for being so reasonable._

Kambei took a deep breath, then nodded before following Heihachi back into the room. As they entered, Yukino, Mizuki and Honoka were on there way out - they each offered him a smile, but he was unable to return the gesture. Shichiroji and Heihachi were both standing by the wall and Ayamaro was seated calmly on the floor, seemingly having regained his regal bearing.

"Where and when did you see Kyuzo and under what circumstances?" Kambei demanded immediately, realizing somewhere inside that he was drawing on his interrogation skills but not caring as he stalked toward the portly man and loomed over him.

Ayamaro paled as he looked up at him and Kambei wondered for a moment if the man would run from him. _Not that he'd get far if he tried…_ he thought darkly. The former magistrate looked to Shichiroji, then to Heihachi, probably looking for help, but they both just stared back at him blankly. Swallowing hard, he turned back to Kambei, who was still towering over him.

"I-I'm not sure… Noon? Maybe a little b-before? I didn't think anyone had seen me leave but…" He paused and his protuberant eyes glazed with remembered fear. "I was cornered in an alley by two guards and a samurai. Th-they were going to kill me…"

"And then? Kambei prodded.

"Then Kyuzo showed up, killed them all, told me to come here and ran off," he said in a rush, obvious wanting the questioning to be over as soon as possible.

"That's it?" Kambei asked, disappointment flaring in his chest as Ayamaro nodded quickly.

Before he could push for more, the door slid open to reveal Yukino with a tray of food. He walked over to Shichiroji and Heihachi as she sat the tray down in front of Ayamaro.

"That was before the execution then. He'd yet to go to the Capital," Heihachi said.

"But what's he doing there? And why did he go back after saving the women?" Shichiroji asked, shooting an apologetic look to Yukino as she left the room again.

"I assume he's going to try and stop Ukyo from destroying that village you all just came from," Ayamaro said as he took a leisurely bite from the assortment of foods in front of him. He seemed to have forgotten all about his fear of the samurai at the sight of the delicacies.

"What? Destroy Kanna?" Heihachi asked in confusion.

"That's right," Kambei said softly, feeling like an idiot or having forgotten Ukyo's words to him. "Ukyo did make a threat towards Kanna while I was there."

"But why?" Shichiroji asked. "What's one village in the grand scheme of things?"

"While its convenient for Ukyo to put on a show as the new benevolent ruler by praising the actions of Kanna, in reality they are a threat. They've stood up to the Capital and won. He'll dispose of them," Ayamaro said offhandedly as he continued to pick at the food in front of him.

"So Kyuzo somehow realized what Ukyo was planning and… what? Decided to stick around and put a stop to it? Take down the Capital?" Heihachi asked with a tilted brow. "That's reaching in my opinion, we have no proof of that. We only know he intended on going back to the Capital after he left the women. We don't know that he's still there."

"Well, I'm not surprised," Ayamaro said, taking another bite, "given what the former Amanushi ordered him to do, he probably wants revenge. I actually thought this would have happened much earlier."

Kambei knew that was not the case, and from the skeptical look on Heihachi's face and Shichiroji's eye roll, he knew that they felt the same. Besides not really being the type for revenge trips, Kambei doubted that Kyuzo had ever cared about anything enough to consider it worth avenging. Not to mention the former Amanushi was _dead,_ so there wasn't really anyone to get revenge _on_. Still, his curiosity was peaked. There was something about being offered another piece of the Kyuzo Puzzle that Kambei couldn't seem to ignore, no matter what the circumstances.

"Revenge for what exactly?" He heard himself asking.

"The execution order on his family, of course," Ayamaro answered before taking a delicate sip of sake.

"The Capital ordered Kyuzo's family to be killed?" Heihachi asked softly.

"Not precisely," Ayamaro answered, looking up from the tray of food with a serious expression. "The Emperor himself ordered Kyuzo to kill them all."

Kambei's breath cut off as his chest tightened.

"Tha- that's so fucked up," Shichiroji said and although he was right next to him, his voice sounded far away.

"It was necessary," Ayamaro answered.

Kambei's vision washed out in red and before he realized it, he was lunging toward the former magistrate and Shichiroji and Heihachi were trying to pull him away. Ayamaro flailed wildly away from the irate samurai, knocking the tray of food over in his haste.

"I-I don't mean that it's not horrible! But it was the end of the Great War! The house Kyuzo came from provided warriors to anyone for the right price. _Anyone! _What would be the point of finally attaining peace when any rebel group could attain a high level assassin like Kyuzo if they were able to scrape together the funds? And who better to kill such a threat than the best they'd ever produced?" He said in a rush.

Kambei finally stopped fighting against the grip Heihachi and Shichiroji had on him and allowed them to pull him to the other side of the room. He felt sick and dizzy, and as soon as they released him he sat down hard on the floor, his breath leaving him in a whoosh.

"Kambei?" Shichiroji's voice was soft as he laid a tentative hand on Kambei's shoulder. Kambei brushed the hand away in irritation and pressed his palms to his eyes.

Eighteen, Kambei's mind supplied, doing the math. After a brutal childhood Kyuzo joined the war at thirteen, then was ordered to kill his own family at eighteen. An unfamiliar heat was building behind his eyes as he fought to catch his breath.

He remembered what it was like, coming home after the war and finding the home he grew up in burnt to the ground. Finding the graves of his father and grandmother that the remaining villagers had been kind enough to dig for them. How would it feel had _he _been the one to do that? He mentally shook his head - the situation was not the same, he knew. He and Kyuzo were raised very differently. While Kambei couldn't even consider carrying out such an order, no matter what the circumstances, Kyuzo had probably taken it in stride. The thought didn't make him feel any better, in fact he could feel bile rising in his throat and he quickly lurched to his feet, shoving the door to the courtyard open and stumbling into the cool night air.

Leaning heavily on the railing, he gulped in the fresh air, willing himself not to throw up all over Yukino's lovely garden. Shichiroji's presence appeared next to him, his silent support a welcome addition. After a few more minutes, his head stopped swimming and he became more aware of his surroundings again - the faint sound of Heihachi and Ayamaro's voices inside, the clacking of the bamboo fountain, the soft plucking of a shamisen. The last one made his head cock to the side in confusion until he turned and saw Shichiroji, eyes closed and seated on the walkway with the instrument in his lap.

"You're not going to torture me with your abysmal singing again are you?" Kambei asked, a little surprised at the roughness of his voice.

"My singing's better than your planning," he shot back without opening his eyes.

Kambei huffed out a laugh in response and took a seat next to his old friend. Silence settled between them and Kambei was grateful for it. Shichiroji didn't offer any words of optimism or try and distract him with meaningless babble. He just let the new information settle, knowing there was nothing he could say that would make this new revelation any less horrific.

Kambei was finally feeling more like himself when Heihachi joined them.

"So, Ayamaro told me that Ukyo plans on visiting all the farming villages. Rub the fact that he's a great new Emperor all over them, I guess. Kanna's his last stop…"

Shichiroji plucked one last string before sitting the instrument off to the side. "So, a tour of benevolence followed by a massacre. Nice."

"Kambei, whether Kyuzo's there or not, the Capital is headed for Kanna and we need to stop it," Heihachi said, his serious gaze weighing on Kambei.

"I know," he answered quietly.

* * *

They'd taken off from Kougakyo not long after the non-execution, but not before Ukyo continued to make himself look like a hero in the people's eyes by handing out a great deal of rice. Rice that Kyuzo had come to learn was stock piled here in the Capital. Rice that farmers had bled, sweated, and cried over and then had it stolen by the bandits. Now Ukyo intended to use those farmers even further by using them to get rid of the Nobuseri. Sure, he was sending some half-assed samurai to help them, but Kyuzo had seen first hand the amount of work and sacrifice those villagers were willing to give to protect what was theirs. It was their lives that would be lost should things go badly, it was their homes that would be destroyed, their fields that would be burned. The cowardice of Ukyo's plan set Kyuzo on edge.

It hadn't taken Kyuzo long to figure out what Ukyo was up to. The new Emperor had a big mouth and no problems running it. As the night had drifted on and Kyuzo had crept through the Capital, picking up tidbits of information here and there, he'd had been a couple close calls with Tessai. So far he'd managed to stay off the man's radar though, and hopefully it would stay that way. He wanted to keep his presence a secret for at least another day. With any luck, the bodies he'd hidden would stay that way.

He estimated it would probably take Ukyo a day to visit the farming villages. The night was approaching its end already and from what he'd heard from the engine room, they'd be reaching the first village at dawn. Kyuzo would let Ukyo play his little game, give the people their hope, set the Nobuseri on their path of destruction. He didn't have much choice, he couldn't risk making a move where an innocent village would be caught in the mayhem. But as soon as the Capital started toward Kanna, as soon as it hit that barren stretch of land, he'd make his move. They'd worked to hard to save that village for it to fall now.

Earlier in the night, he'd considered just bailing and going to find Kambei. The image of the man in that ritual robe was burned into his mind and made him want him in a way he'd never wanted anything. Perhaps spending the night together and then returning to the village to launch a defense. But that was before he'd seen the new Nobuseri army and heard Ukyo's idea of having them activated without any samurai spirit. Just an unending supply of empty killing machines. Someone would have to destroy them from the inside, before they could be launched.

That's where he was now, tucked into a dark corner and resting up. He'd need it, he knew. He was about to take on the entire Capital by himself.

Kambei would be _pissed. _

As his tired eyes drifted closed, a smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So sorry that it's late (again)! I really have no excuse this time other than a complete lack of focus. I get in these moods where as soon as I sit down to write, immediately ten other things I should/could be doing pop into my head. "What new music is out this week? I need to do laundry… Should I get a puppy? My car's dirty… Is it raining again? Where's my phone? Do butterflies have ears? I'm hungry…" It's like writing ADD. Anyway, hope you enjoy the new chapter! And thanks so much to all of you that are reviewing!


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 22**

Kyuzo spent the day climbing around in the walls of large area of the ship that housed the empty Nobuseri army. There were only a few people working in that section, apparently making sure everything was in order for when Ukyo gave the order to have the machines activated, but they were easily avoided. They were so intent on their tasks that Kyuzo doubted they'd notice his presence if he were to just walk around right in front of them. But that wasn't really an issue at the moment, hidden as he was in the narrow space between the walls where the wiring was concealed. Wiring that he was diligently splicing together in ways that would probably make Heihachi faint. In all honesty, he wasn't one hundred percent sure what _exactly_ the result would be, he just knew that it would big and messy, probably on a catastrophic level. He smirked again, almost breaking into a full out uncharacteristic grin at the thought of the destruction he was going to cause.

The afternoon was wearing on now and if Kyuzo had been counting the stops correctly, then they should only have one more village to visit before the Capital turned towards Kanna. He rocked back on his heels as he finished wiring another section and a few sparks leapt at him with an angry hiss. Satisfied that it wasn't going to explode (at least not right away) he leaned down and scooped up his swords and coat, using the sleeve to mop the sweat from his brow. It was hot, dark and cramped and he'd been in there practically all fucking day - only taking the occasional break to check on their current location. He was more than ready to be done with this tedious job and get to the action.

_Not much longer…_

Moving into the last section, he dropped his coat and swords to the floor and went to work on the wiring again just as he felt the Capital shift into a complete stop. His hands went through the now familiar motions as his mind drifted to the one thing, the one _person,_ that had been increasingly demanding of his attention over the past few hours to the point of annoyance.

_Kambei…_

Yes, Kambei was making his presence known even though he was physically nowhere near at the moment. Part of Kyuzo regretted his hasty decision to stay onboard the Capital without seeing the other samurai. Logically, he knew that had he not stayed, he wouldn't have learned what Ukyo was planning and wouldn't have been in the position to stop him as he was now. But illogically (which seemed to be more and more of a regular mindset since meeting Kambei) he just _wanted_ the man. He missed his strong, warm presence, the way he smelled of rain and incense, the pitch of his voice, the calm he exuded and, most of all, the promise of something _more _that he seemed to represent. More than what Kyuzo had ever known or felt, more than he thought he could attain, more than he could be. He didn't understand it at all. It was like a warm but somewhat painful ache.

Sighing in irritation, he tried to push the other man to the back of his mind. It was completely unreasonable the way he dominated his thoughts. It wasn't as if he wouldn't be seeing him again. Sure, this was going to be dangerous, but he really didn't doubt that he'd be able to get through this in once piece. There might be a huge number of guards on board, but they completely lacked any kind of instinctual samurai talent. And after he wiped out this mass of Nobuseri, he really had nothing to worry about but sheer numbers, which would just take time to cut down.

_Don't forget about Tessai…_

Hmm, yes, there was also Tessai. But rather than being concerned about the possible threat, or at least wary, as he should be, he was instead looking forward to that fight. He was curious about the man's level of talent and was itching for a challenge.

Kyuzo hissed air in between his teeth and jerked his hands back as the last piece of wiring burnt the tips of his fingers. But even as he shook his hand slightly, trying in vain to relieve the sting, he was smirking - he was finally done.

Picking up his things he moved quickly through the narrow twisting path until he finally reached the vent he'd entered through - carefully removing it once again and peering around for anyone nearby. Once he was satisfied that the area was clear, he carefully and quietly slid through, taking a moment to enjoy the cooler, non-dust-filled air before he pulled on his coat and strapped his swords back in place.

Sticking to the shadows, he made his way back across the vast space toward the power grid where he'd activate… whatever it was that he'd just done. About halfway there, the ship started moving again and he couldn't help but be a little impressed with his excellent sense of timing. Reaching his destination, he waited quietly next to the grid - arms crossed, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed as he counted the minutes. He was less than halfway through his countdown when something tickled his senses.

Something was wrong.

His eyes popped open and he stayed completely still, even stopping his breathing as his eyes slid over his surroundings, trying to pinpoint what had set off his instincts. No movement, no sound, there was nothing that could explain his sudden wariness. Pulling his weight away from the wall slowly, he edged his way around the room, knowing better than to think there was nothing to find just because it wasn't immediately obvious.

The further he made his way around the room the less it seemed like anything was wrong, and the more certain he became that something really _was_ wrong. There was a soft whispered hiss of metal as he pulled his blades slowly. Time was ticking down, he needed to start the explosion soon and get to the engine room if he wanted to bring the Capital down before it reached Kanna. No matter what it was that was setting his senses off, it would have to wait. Decision made, he turned back toward the grid.

And came face to face with Tessai.

There was no shock, no jump of surprise, just a silent stare between two killers as deadly intent filled the air between them.

"I've been looking for you, Kyuzo," Tessai finally says, his voice low and calm.

Then he smiled.

As if some kind of signal has been given, they both lunged at each other. Swords blurred and _damn_ if Tessai wasn't fast. Kyuzo took a moment to wonder what he must have been like in his prime as the other man managed to block both a downward slice from one sword and a forward jab with the other at the same time. Of course, Tessai had the advantage of having seen Kyuzo fight on numerous occasions, while his moves are all brand new to the younger samurai. Suddenly, Tessai's blade was coming right for his face. He twisted, feeling the shift in the air as it slid harmlessly by only centimeters from his head. Dropping low and darting forward, he smirked as he caught the surprised look on the other man's face just before he felt the satisfying catch of blade on fabric then skin. But Tessai was already moving and the blow was only glancing.

_I don't have time for this_, he thought, slightly disappointed. But he needed to start taking down this ship, he couldn't spend all day here fighting Tessai, no matter how interesting it was. So he did something he'd never done before - he turned and ran. Tessai let out a surprised grunt behind him, but he was focused on the control grid, he could focus on the other samurai again after he'd set off the… whatever was going to happen.

Sliding to a stop in front of the panel, he barely had time to pull the large power lever before his instincts forced him into a low crouch as Tessai tried to take his head off. Staying low and spinning on the balls of his feet he retaliated, one blade slipping to the left of Tessai's bulk as the man dodged and the other coming up in a sweeping motion that had the man skipping back a few steps. Tessai was shifting his weight, about to lunge again when things started exploding. The floor shifted under their feet and forced them to focus on keeping their balance for a moment instead of killing each other. Kyuzo looked up, eyes widening slightly as he saw thick visible arches of electricity jumping between the empty Nobuseri shells. Some burned, some just fell apart, but most blew up, sending a shower of metal limbs screeching across the room - both he and Tessai were particularly entranced by a smoking head that went spinning though the air before crashing into a control panel and setting of a whole new set of explosions.

Both the men blinked at the chaos then looked back at each other for a moment before resuming their fight - now with the added difficulty of dodging projectiles and random bursts of fire while attacking and defending against each other. Kyuzo gritted his teeth as he was a split second too slow at dodging one of Tessai's forward strikes and the other man's blade sunk into a pectoral muscle before Kyuzo was able to pull out of his range. He skipped back a good twenty feet from the other man, hoping to get a brief reprieve to focus his attention away from the stinging pain in his chest.

Blood ran down his front on the right side, soaking his black undershirt, but he forced his attention to Tessai, waiting for the man to make his next move. Just as the man shifted, another explosion ripped through the room, larger than the previous ones. Kyuzo's eyes shot upward as the ceiling gave a few ominous ticks before groaning loudly. He jumped back quickly, barely missing the falling rubble and catching sight of Tessai through the dust and collapsing metal, also darting back away from the pieces of ceiling. By the time things stopped falling, Kyuzo had been completely blocked off from the other side of the room - and Tessai.

Kyuzo blinked at the mess then mentally shrugged, he had other things to do after all. He wandered out into the hallway, not really caring if he was seen, it was pretty much inevitable at this point. But he was pleasantly surprised when he found the hall still empty and made his way toward a ventilation shaft - he wasn't going to waste the opportunity to get to the engine room undetected after all. He climbed along for about two minutes before he started hearing the rushing footsteps, it really was pathetic how horrible the security was in this place. He shook his head in disgust, pausing to pull at the bloody shirt that was uncomfortably stuck to him.

About ten minutes later found Kyuzo above the engine room. He'd been there a few times before, but he still had no idea what most of the equipment did. For a moment, he wished he'd brought Heihachi with him.

_Maybe I should just blow some shit up…_

His eyebrows furrowed - the last time he'd followed the advice of an errant thought like that, he'd ended up getting his ass kicked all over a foggy canyon.

Popping the grate out, he slid out, landing lightly on the floor. The engine room was pretty self contained from what he'd learned. Other than the occasional patrol or maintenance personnel, there was no reason for anyone to be in there. But that probably wouldn't be the case for long. He was fairly certain Tessai had survived that collapse and the man would probably anticipate Kyuzo's next move - he needed to hurry. So it looked like 'blowing some shit up' was the plan of the hour.

Without further ado, he went to work at destroying everything in the room - pressing buttons that shouldn't be pressed, spinning dials in random directions, pulling out handfuls of wiring, using his sword to cut through massive metal walls of intricate internal workings. After a few minutes of this, he was getting concerned. There was smoke and fire, and there was definitely a strange whine echoing in the room, but the forward momentum of massive ship hadn't diminished at all.

Aggravated disappointment thrummed though him. Moving toward the door, his thoughts on possibly getting a hold of one of the huge abandoned Nobuseri guns from the room he'd just destroyed and coming back to do some real damage, he was completely unprepared for the explosion from the engine room. He was thrown into the hallway by the massive wave of hot air, rolling and sliding on the metal floor as the ship lurched wildly to the left. Finally getting his feet under him again, he looked back to the engine room to see flames billowing from the doorway. The ship was definitely loosing speed and altitude now and he couldn't help the satisfied grin from flickering across his face. A loud screech of ripping metal echoed through the corridor and the ship jerked wildly again, this time plummeting steeply towards the ground. Realizing they were about to crash, Kyuzo tried to get a grip on something, to find some kind of stable ground, but the ship was pitching to violently.

The impact with the ground was intense and disorienting. Metal crumpled under his feet, smoke filled the air, a deep organ shaking boom combined with a wrenching screech and then he was weightless - a moment where up or down seemed irrelevant.

Then there was pain.

Followed by darkness.

* * *

Kambei sat on the long bench seat of the small aircraft next to Shichiroji, who was piloting. He looked tense but focused, only the way his hands were clenched together as they dangled between his knees, so tightly that the knuckles were white, revealed his level of anxiety.

Ayamaro, whether in some slight show of concern for Kyuzo's well being or desire for revenge against Ukyo for ordering his death, had told them where they could get a ship to chase after the Capital, but the security codes the former magistrate had wouldn't work until the morning as the building was locked down tightly at night. The samurai had briefly considered breaking in, but Shichiroji pointed out the possibility of the Capital being notified and them losing the element of surprise. Heihachi had insisted that waiting until morning was for the best anyway, it would give the massive airship time to clear the smaller villages so they wouldn't have to worry about innocent bystanders when they attacked. Kambei hadn't agreed at first - he _hated waiting_ - but in the end he'd given in, seeing the logic in that route. Instead of getting some rest, like Shichiroji insisted, he'd taken the night to scour the city for any sign of Kyuzo. The whole time he searched, he'd berated himself for leaving the other samurai as he had. He'd _known_ he should have stayed with him. He'd thought he was being ridiculous and overprotective - he should have followed his instincts. By the time he'd returned to Firefly House in the early morning hours just before dawn, he hadn't seen hide nor hair of Kyuzo and was feeling both tired and guilty.

At least the threat to their village brought Sanae and Rikichi back together somewhat. Things were still tense between them, but they were in the same room and speaking to one another again. They'd wanted to head back to Kanna and warn them of the impending threat, to send the samurai that had remained behind to help, but Kambei insisted they stay at Firefly House. Even if Sanae had been well enough to make the journey, they wouldn't have made it back to the village before the samurai intercepted the Capital.

Getting the aircraft they were in now had been ridiculously easy. Armed with Ayamaro's access codes, it was simply a matter of walking in, picking a ship and leaving.

So here they were, three samurai against the Capital.

_Maybe four…_

Kambei wasn't sure if he wanted to the blond to be there or not. If he was, then at least he'd _know_ and not be wondering where and how he was anymore. On the other hand, Kambei could only imagine the trouble Kyuzo was getting into if he was onboard.

Kambei forced himself to unclench his hands, wiggling his now stiff fingers before rubbing his tired eyes.

"So, what's the plan?" Shichiroji asked, looking over at Kambei, who just stared back. "Right, stupid question. Because, _why_ would we have a _plan_? How silly of me."

Kambei's lips twitched as he fought off a grin at his friends irritable tone.

"I thought you said it was worse when I had a plan than when I was just winging it."

"They're both equally bad. Remind me again why I follow you?"

"Because my charisma is unmatched and no matter what the situation I always come out on top."

"Kyuzo said that too. The part about you coming on top anyway," Shichiroji said seriously, fighting off a grin. "Plus you smell nice and you're pretty."

Kambei snorted and replied, "Don't forget that I know how to make booze out of an old boot and a drained battery."

Shichiroji burst out laughing, "Yeah, you keep telling yourself that was booze. I'd personally rather suckle at Ayamaro's sweaty manboob than drink that nasty swill ever again."

Kambei tried to look offended but got caught up in the mental picture Shichiroji had just painted and ended up looking like he might be sick instead.

"Oh no, he's picturing it. Man, you can't do that to our leader right before we go into battle. Block it out, Kambei. Block it out," Heihachi said from the seat behind them, obviously fighting off a laugh.

A sudden wealth of warmth came over Kambei and he'd never been more grateful for a set of companions. Glancing at Shichiroji, he saw the soft look mirrored on his old friends face as he smiled back at him. They'd get through this, he'd make sure of it. Shichiroji would be going home to Yukino, Heihachi could go back to his wood chopping or whatever the hell other random things he wanted to do, and he would see Kyuzo again. This wasn't an end, it was a beginning.

Kambei looked back to the landscape spread out before them, lit in the colors of the late afternoon sun and felt calmer and more centered than before. His eyes narrowed as something drew his attention on the horizon.

"Is that… smoke?" Heihachi asked from the back, all traces of humor gone from his voice.

Neither answered, Shichiroji just pressed harder on the throttle. The closer they got, the more clear the billowing cloud of dark smoke became and the acrid scent of it could be caught in the light breeze. Cresting a large sand dune, they finally caught sight of the downed airship. Wreckage strewn out behind it like a wounded animal losing its entrails.

"Kyuzo doesn't do things halfway, does he?" Shichiroji asked softly, for there was no question now as to the blonds location.

Shichiroji slowed the ship somewhat and stayed low to the ground, trying to avoid detection as he skimmed around large hunks of debris. It turned out that his attempt at subterfuge was unneeded though as they pulled right up alongside the man body of the ship unnoticed. From the interior they could hear panicked shouting and the continued sound of explosions as smoke continued to pour out.

"What did he do?" Heihachi asked, sounding both awed and horrified as the impressed samurai part of him battled it out with the mechanic side of him who was eyeing the wreckage with a professional eye.

"Let's go," Kambei said as soon as Shichiroji stopped their small ship. Hopping down to the ground, he was soon followed by the other two samurai as they made there way into the ruined Capital.

Slipping into the dark interior, Kambei couldn't help but wonder how Kyuzo had pulled this off, and what it may have cost him.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Once again, I find myself apologizing for a late chapter. I need to get it together! I actually found myself pretty focused on this chapter and thought I'd get it out early /gasp/ but then I got sick, and then Easter popped up (which I'd completely forgotten about). Whine whine excuse excuse. Anyway, I didn't get to proofread this as well as I would have liked, so if you see anything that needs fixing let me now. Hope you enjoyed it!


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer**_:_ I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 23**

Consciousness teased him, coming in close to poke him lightly before retreating. Perfectly content in the dark, Kyuzo allowed himself to sink back down again and again before something started bothering him enough to pull him to the surface.

_What is that smell…_

Kyuzo's nose crinkled and his lip curled as he tried to distinguish the unpleasant scent that was assaulting him.

_Blood… exhaust…_

His recognition stuttered to a halt there as a bolt of pain tore through his head and an ache in his shoulder made itself known. Sucking in a sharp breath, his muddled brain added heated metal, smoke, and burning plastic to the list. With that figured out, there was nothing to distract him from the pounding headache any longer. After a few moments of debating whether to open his eyes or not, the ache in his arm became more and more insistent, drowning out the pain in his head, until it was all he could think of. The more he focused on it, the worse it became. His arm was on _fire. _Well, not literally. At least, _hopefully_ not literally. At this point it was hard to tell. He shifted, attempting to find a position that wasn't so painful. Unfortunately, that just made it a hundred times worse. Agony stole his breath - it felt as if his arm and side were filled with heated broken glass. His body attempted to curl on its side in an instinctive bid at comfort, but something was terribly wrong. His eyes snapped open to see blurry shapes tilting alarmingly around him. It took him a moment to realize it wasn't just dizziness causing the vertigo.

He was dangling about two hundred feet from the ground - his previous movements causing him to swing slightly in the open air. Forcing his eyes to stay open despite the sting the setting sun was causing them, he looked above him. His left arm was wedged at the wrist between two hunks of metal - the only reason he hadn't already plummeted to his death.

_Why is it always _that_ arm?_

He tried to assess his other injuries, but now that he knew why his arm hurt and could actually see it, it was all he could focus on. The wrist was probably broken, at the very least dislocated, and it seemed his shoulder had once again been pulled from the joint as well. Not to mention whatever muscle damage was being caused by his entire body weight suspended from that one limb.

For a moment, he just hung there, hoping the pain would retreat to a more manageable level. It didn't take long for him to realize this was as good as it was going to get. Kyuzo decided to quit putting off the inevitable and get to work on getting out of there. There was absolutely nothing below him except some smoking remains of the ship a couple hundred feet down, so there was nothing to get leverage on to boost himself up. Looking back up, it was obvious the only way he'd be able to get himself out of this was if he was able to reach high enough to get a grip on one of the metal slats holding his wrist in place. Which meant moving. And putting increased pressure on the arm that already felt like it was about to rip out at any time. Great.

He slowly moved his right arm upward, trying not to jar his injuries or stretch anything just yet. Once his arm was extended as far as it would go without effort - still a good six inches from where he needed it to be - he took a deep breath attempted to pull himself up with his injured arm to breech the remaining distance.

The smell was back, he furrowed his brow and opened his eyes slowly. The smoky landscape was familiar but it took him a minute to remember why. Looking back up at his wedged wrist, he remembered his bid for freedom and realized he must have passed out in the attempt. His lip curled in disgust. He'd _fainted_. Deciding to try again, and hopefully remain fully conscious this time, he reached above him again. Only to stop seconds later as pain stole his breath and black spots started filling his vision. Realizing his efforts were futile, an odd sort of claustrophobia settled over him. He couldn't have really been in a more _open_ space, but he'd never felt more trapped.

"You've made quite a mess," a familiar voice said from above him. His head snapped up causing the world to tilt and blur alarmingly before righting itself. Tessai came into view above him, dirty and flecked with blood in places, but relatively in tact - and not dangling like a worm on a hook - much to Kyuzo's consternation.

"That was my intention," Kyuzo's deep voice pointed out blankly.

Tessai blinked and cocked his head slightly. "And your current predicament? Also part of the plan?"

"…not so much," Kyuzo answered gruffly, his irritated gaze dropping from the other samurai back to the red-orange tinted landscape.

Tessai huffed out a surprised laugh and studied the blond samurai silently for a moment. "You're… different."

Kyuzo's smirked slightly, "Good."

The familiar hiss of metal being released from its sheath drew his gaze back to the man above him.

"I sincerely wish I had the time to finish our fight properly, Kyuzo. Killing you in this fashion is… distasteful. But I must find Master Ukyo."

Kyuzo nodded, he knew the drill. Eliminate the threat, ensure the safety of your charge. So, this was how it was going to end for him. Cut down as he hung defenseless. Not exactly the death he'd pictured for himself.

_But I did it. Kanna, the farmers, the samurai… Kambei - they're all safe from the Capital now._

No, not the death he'd pictured for himself. It was better.

He watched the sun glint off the falling blade and felt satisfied.

* * *

Picking their way through destroyed Capital was slow going. They'd already almost been blown up twice, been attacked by a random gaggle of guards and almost gotten trapped in a burning room when a ceiling collapsed.

Heihachi still looked shocked as he surveyed the amount of damage Kyuzo had inflicted, occasionally stopping to peer at something closely before shaking his head and muttering something under his breath along the lines of "freaking insane" or "kinda brilliant". Shichiroji, being a connoisseur of destruction himself, looked mightily impressed with Kyuzo's handiwork and seemed to be greatly enjoying the close up tour of the chaos. Kambei was just worried and focused. His samurai instincts were running on autopilot - cutting down any threat without giving it a thought - while his mind was focused on finding the missing blond samurai.

_"I was really worried. But then he told me you would be fine, and I could see it in his eyes - that he wouldn't let anything happen to you, and I felt better."_

Mizuki's words echoed in his mind, enforcing his urgency - Kyuzo had been watching out for him, making sure he was safe. And Kambei was intent on doing the same.

_But what if I'm already too late…_

Distracted from his thoughts by the distant clamoring of footsteps, Kambei held his hand out - signaling the other two samurai into the shadows as he himself backed into a darkened crumbling side corridor across from them. Seeing a horde of scantily dressed panicky women come running around the corner, Kambei rolled his eyes and released his grip on his sword handle.

"Ladies! I'm so glad to see you're unharmed!" Shichiroji said, practically prancing out in front of the group and shooting them his widest, brightest, most charming smile.

Kambei shook his head, unsurprised, and Heihachi watched in amusement and awe as the women calmed and smiled back hesitantly despite the situation.

"Is everyone alright, no injuries that need inspected?" Shichiroji asked with a straight face. A chorus of feminine no's answered as they crowded closer to the blond samurai.

"Shichiroji," Kambei said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Shichiroji must have heard the exasperation in his friends voice because he was soon extracting himself from the huddle of women with a few choice words and a soothing tone. Heihachi joined the two samurai in a quick meeting across the hall from the women.

"We can't leave them just wandering around in here, it's too unstable. Take them and see if any of the emergency shuttles are still working. Heihachi, you go too. They may need a mechanic," Kambei ordered.

The playful look melted off Shichiroji's face. "Kambei, I don't think it's a good idea for us to split up."

"Probably not, but we're doing it anyway," Kambei answered flatly as he turned away and started down the hallway. There was a moment of silence behind him and he wondered if Shichiroji was going to fly off the handle but couldn't find it in himself to care. The longer he went without any sign of the blond samurai he _knew_ was here somewhere the more tightly wound and irritated he became. Finally Heihachi uttered a soft "come on" and he heard the two move back toward Ukyo's harem.

They only place Kambei was sure Kyuzo would have been at one point was the engine room, so he focused his attention on finding that area. Not an easy task in a ship this size when things _weren't_ collapsing, burning and exploding. After about ten minutes, his last thread of patience was fraying. Hearing another group of pounding footsteps heading his direction, he dropped back into the shadows.

The ragged group of guards was a welcome sight and a dangerous grin flashed across Kambei's face. Stepping out of the darkness he wasted no time cutting all but one of them down in a matter of seconds. Pinning the terrified man to the side of the hall with his sword hovering in front of his throat, Kambei pressed in uncomfortably close.

"Where's the engine room?" He asked, his voice so low it was practically a growl.

"Gone," the guard squeaked out.

Kambei rolled his eyes, "Then where _was_ the engine room?"

"One floor down. You'll see the gaping hole where it used to be," the man answered quickly.

Kambei nodded and briefly considered letting him go, but in the end decided it was too risky - he couldn't let the man run off and collect some other guards now that he knew where Kambei was headed. Only sparing a brief second for remorse, he killed the guard and continued down the hall. Finding a place where the floor had partially collapsed, he was able to wiggle through the folded metal and drop down to the floor below.

As soon as he looked around his new surroundings, he was able to tell where the engine room had been. A hot, dry breeze came from the hall to the right carrying the scent of smoke and he could see a faint red glow from the setting sun. Deciding that's where he'd start his search - plus he was curious to see the damage first hand - he headed in that direction. The further down the hall he got, the stronger the breeze became and the more the outside light flooded the hall. Slowing his steps, Kambei cocked his head, the sound of a voice reaching his ears. Crouching low, he crept down the hall and peered around the corner. It was a bit of a shock for Kambei to see that everything beyond that point was pretty much gone, just a torn apart floor sloping into open air. A person stood on the precipice, looking down at something out of Kambei's sight. Even with his back to him, Kambei was able to recognize one of Kyuzo's former colleagues, a samurai bodyguard by the name of Tessai.

"-current predicament? Also part of the plan?"

"…not so much."

The sound of Kyuzo's voice sent a wave of relief through Kambei, so strong he closed his eyes for a moment. His voice sounded strained and Kambei had to wonder _where_ exactly the other samurai was as he couldn't see him from there, but at least he was alive and well enough to converse.

"You're… different."

"Good."

Kambei grinned at his lover's answer but his amusement fell away as Tessai drew his blade.

"I sincerely wish I had the time to finish our fight properly, Kyuzo. Killing you in this fashion is… distasteful. But I must find Master Ukyo."

So obviously Kyuzo was not in a position to defend himself. He gritted his teeth as he silently moved forward and only silence came from the blond. He could picture the resigned look on his pale face and it pissed him off. Closing the remaining distance with quick silent steps, he reached Tessai just as his blade was coming down. Kambei drew his own sword and impaled the man through the chest, halting the attack on Kyuzo. Placing his foot on the small of the other man's back, he shoved hard. His blade came loose with a wet squelch as Tessai toppled over the edge - the light fading from his shocked eyes as they landed on Kambei for a split second before he disappeared.

Looking down, Kambei blinked at the pale hand wedged in-between two broken sections of metal for a second before he put together what it meant. Dropping to his knees, he leaned over the edge. Blood caked the right side of Kyuzo's face, bringing out the bright crimson of his wide eyes in a macabre kind of beauty and his pouted lips formed a shocked "o" as he looked up at Kambei. A rush of warmth went through his body at the sight of him, it felt like it had been years since he'd last seen him instead of just a few days. Forcing himself to look away from those so rarely surprised eyes, Kambei took in his lovers predicament with increasing concern.

Kyuzo was hanging precariously in the open air, held in place only by the wrist wedged by Kambei's knees. Now that the brief shock was gone from the blonds face, he could see the pain he was in by the pinch of strain around his eyes, the way his jaw was clenched tightly and the overly pale tone of his skin. Pulling back a bit, Kambei plunged his blade deep into the metal next to him before leaning back over the edge.

"Give me your free arm," he said, positioning himself to take Kyuzo's weight without being pulled over.

Kyuzo reached up, the movement oddly slow and hesitant. Kambei leaned down and gripped the other man's forearm, pulling him up slowly and carefully in case he had any unseen injuries. A low groan escaped Kyuzo's lips as the caught wrist turned awkwardly as his body was pulled higher. Kambei gritted his teeth at the pained sound and he shifted his position again.

"Hold on here," he said, placing Kyuzo's hand on the handle of his sword. Sure the blond had a grip on the weapon, he slid forward so he could wrap an arm around Kyuzo's chest to keep him in place, not wanting to risk the other samurai losing his hold on the blade. With his chest pressed against Kyuzo's and the other man's strained panting breath ghosting the top of his head, Kambei turned his attention on the trapped wrist. He tried to be gently, but it was really tightly caught. Another choked off groan had Kyuzo tilting his head forward, resting it on top of Kambei's as a slight tremor worked through him. Soft soothing words flowed from Kambei with no conscious thought of them as he finished freeing the wrist. A sigh of relief came from Kyuzo and Kambei wrapped his other arm around him and pulled him back up onto solid ground.

They both laid there for a moment, Kambei allowing relief to steal over him as Kyuzo lay panting slightly beside him. He turned his head to take in the image of the man next to him - blood splattered and soot stained, he was still a welcome sight. The warm breeze tugged at his dirt streaked blond hair and the disappearing sun cast his skin in a warm orange glow. Kambei absorbed the sight of him like he was sinking into a warm bath, letting the urgency of before slip away to be replaced by something warm, soft and soothing. As if feeling the weight of his gaze on him, Kyuzo turned his head and met Kambei's stare. His gut tightened at the hot, almost animalistic look that slowly filled Kyuzo's crimson eyes.

Just as Kambei was starting to wonder if it was possible to burst into flames from a look alone, Kyuzo rolled toward him. His long, lean body pressing down on Kambei's as his lips attacked with almost bruising force. Kambei only spared a moment for shock before his mind fogged over and he groaned deeply, wrapping himself around the blond on top of him - one arm around his waist and the other slipping into the thick hair at the back of his head. Kyuzo's mouth was a furnace and his tongue a branding iron as it slid against Kambei's. Kyuzo's right hand ran up Kambei's side as his head ducked down to lavish attention on the underside of the older man's jaw. Kambei groaned again, his hands falling to the blond's waist as his hips arched up in instinct.

"Not that this isn't enjoyable," Kambei gasped as Kyuzo's teeth nipped at his pulse point. "But now isn't really the time."

"…don't care," Kyuzo growled back before his tongue was once again battling Kambei's as his hand snaked its way between them, lower and lower.

Using his last remaining drop of control, Kambei grabbed Kyuzo's wrist and rolled him back to his original position. He hovered over him for a moment, not relinquishing his grip on his uninjured wrist as he closed his eyes and tried to get his breathing under control. Opening his eyes again, Kyuzo looked back at him in the fading light, his crimson eyes still half lidded with desire, but he didn't look like he was going to jump him again if he let go. Feeling both relieved and disappointed, Kambei released him and sat back on his heels.

"Let me take a look at that arm," he said, his voice still husky.

Kyuzo stared back at him blankly for a moment before giving a "hmm" and sitting up. He released the buttons on his coat with his right hand and Kambei helped him ease it off. There was a nasty gash on his chest, but it wasn't life threatening and there wasn't much he could do about it right then, so Kambei bypassed it to inspect Kyuzo's left arm. The muscles on the back of his shoulder and down his bicep were twitching erratically and the shoulder was definitely dislocated again. His wrist was swollen and bruised - almost certainly broken.

"I'm going to reset your shoulder. I think it's best if I leave your wrist though. The Shikimoribito would be a better choice for fixing that," Kambei said as he positioned his hands on Kyuzo's shoulder and arm.

"I had a slight… altercation with them. My returning might not be a good idea," Kyuzo said, his blank tone giving no clue as to how severe this "altercation" might have been. Kambei looked back up at him, his eyes narrowing.

"Did you kill any of them?"

"No, but I threatened to. And I took one of them hostage," Kyuzo said in the same unconcerned tone.

Kambei sighed and shook his head slightly. "I did warn them you could be… volatile. We'll worry about that later. For now let's fix this and get out of here."

"We need to find Ukyo and kill him," Kyuzo said glancing back towards the interior of the ship. "It's unwise to allow him to live."

As much as Kambei just wanted to get Kyuzo out of there, he knew the other samurai was right. Just because they took down the Capital didn't mean they'd erased Ukyo's influence. He'd already made many allies in his short time as Emperor and would be able to gain more easily by portraying himself as the magnanimous ruler attacked by ronin while trying to attain peace.

Kambei nodded his agreement and then repositioned his hand on Kyuzo's shoulder, giving him warning for what he was about to do. Kyuzo's jaw clinched again and he gave a terse nod. Giving him no time to dwell on what was about to happen, Kambei immediately yanked the arm forward. Kyuzo's uninjured hand fisted and pounded into the ground once before he sucked in a hitching breath. Kambei slid closer, his hands gently kneading the abused muscles. After a few minutes Kyuzo nodded and the two of them climbed to their feet, Kambei snatching up his coat while Kyuzo grabbed his swords. The blond swayed alarmingly when he straightened and Kambei stepped close, putting a steadying hand on his back. Kyuzo blinked a few times and shook his head slightly, his brows drawn together, but after a deep breath he stepped away and headed back into the ship, leaving Kambei to follow behind. Turning around, he pulled his sword free from the floor before striding after him.

"So, do you know where we might find Ukyo?" Kambei asked as they made their way back down the hall. It was much darker inside than it had been before, only feeble flickering emergency lights lining the collapsing walkway kept it from being pitch black. As it was, all he could make out was Kyuzo's pale hair and his silhouette a few feet in front of him. The blond samurai didn't seem to be having a problem navigating despite the debris and the dark though, he moved quickly and confidently - the only sign he'd been injured at all was the way he kept his left arm tucked stiffly to his side.

"Escaping will be his priority," Kyuzo answered, his low voice echoing slightly in the empty hall.

"The emergency shuttles then?" Kambei asked slowly. At Kyuzo's nod, he felt the tension from before creep back in. As if sensing his changed demeanor, Kyuzo glanced back at him. "I sent Shichiroji and Heihachi that way earlier." Kambei explained.

Kyuzo nodded and turned his attention back to the path in front of him. "It won't take us long to get there. I'm sure they will be fine until then."

_Is he trying to… reassure me?_

Kambei couldn't help the small smile that inched onto his face. It disappeared at the thought that he'd unknowingly sent those two into battle though. Ukyo would have every available guard in the Capital with him. Not that they couldn't handle themselves, Kambei knew that they could, he just wanted to be there to ensure everyone came out of this in one piece. He was their leader, their friend - it was his duty. Following Kyuzo further into the bowels of the ship, he hoped that in his haste to find Kyuzo he hadn't accidentally sacrificed the other two.

* * *

Shichiroji loved women. They were so soft and they smelled so good and they had all those fascinating curves. What wasn't to love? He also loved destruction. There was something about bringing chaos to order that appealed to his artistic soul. Explosions and fire and having the world fall down around his ears made him feel so _alive._ It made every detail stand out in brilliant glory, things that you'd normally not pay any attention to became things you couldn't take your eyes off of.

So, right now, Shichiroji was pretty much in heaven. A tall curvaceous brunette pressed against his right side, a petite blond on his left, a number of others crowded around behind him so close they occasionally brushed against his back. And everywhere he looked was destruction. Things were blowing apart and burning around every corner - which just made the women press closer. What could be better?

Sadly, it didn't take them long to find the emergency shuttles. One of the girls had actually known where she was going and directed them there without much hassle. His disappointment was replaced by glee when he saw the state of the small ships though - they were all a mess. Designating himself to keeping the women's spirits up, he sat down on the floor with them snuggled in close all around him while Heihachi went to work on the least damaged shuttle. Shichiroji had assured them that Heihachi could fix anything and not to worry about it, but now he was cursing the man's mechanical talent. Sirianna and Fujiko had just been getting to the part in their story where they'd run out of burning bathhouse in Kougakyo completely naked when Heihachi finished his repairs. Sighing in disappointment but already adding his own ending to the story - which involved a runaway cart of oil and the sudden arrival of three more naked women - Shichiroji escorted them to the shuttle and saw them off.

Heihachi turned and smacked Shichiroji lightly in the chest. "Thanks for the help there, man. I don't know what I would have done without you," he said with an eye roll.

"What?" Shichiroji asked with his most wide-eyed innocent look. "I was making sure they were out of your way."

"Oh, is that what you were doing?" Heihachi asked with a laugh as they started walking.

"Of course! You're lucky I was here."

Heihachi opened his mouth to respond but stopped and cocked his head to the side. Shichiroji stopped as well, his sharp hearing picking up the approaching sound of footsteps. A lot of footsteps.

"Looks like we're about to have some company," Heihachi said seriously, drawing his sword.

"Good, I have some frustrations to work out," he answered, swinging his staff around and releasing the blade on the end.

A horde of guards flooded the room, all of them looking completely surprised to see the samurai. Well, the ones that had faces looked surprised. The mechanical ones just gave off an air of surprise. Suddenly, Ukyo's blue haired head peeked over the heads of his entourage and zeroed in on them. His normally sleek hair was tangled and sticking out in odd directions, grease smeared his pale face and his eyes were wild and not entirely sane as he shrieked and pointed an accusing finger at them.

"Kill them!" He finally got out. "They're here to assassinate me! Protect your Amanushi!"

As if a starting gun had been fired, the mass rushed the two samurai.

"You want left or right?" Shichiroji asked blandly.

Heihachi shrugged. "Right, I guess."

The battle was fast paced and messy. No time for quips or tricks or showing off, there was just too many of them. Hearing a new addition to the din of the battle, Shichiroji looked up to see another wave of guards entering - these all armed with guns. He ducked into the thickest part of the battle, hoping to use his enemies as shields when the bullets started flying. Risking a glance to Heihachi, he saw him doing the same. It seemed they didn't care about hitting their allies though, bullets started tearing through the men surrounding Shichiroji, Ukyo's insane laughter echoing with the gunfire and his occasional order of "Kill them! Kill them!"

A bullet grazed his thigh and another ricocheted off his metal arm as he dove to the floor.

_Maybe this is the one… Sorry I never brought home any treasure, Yukino…_

Then the sounds changed, bullets were being aimed away from him and Ukyo was shouting "YOU! NONONO! KILL THEM!"

Regaining his feet and taking out the two guards rushing him, he looked over to see Kambei and Kyuzo had arrived and were ripping apart the opposition. Looking to the right, he saw Heihachi slice through another man and gave him a small wave, smirking as his daring crept back in. He lost track of time as he fought, the numbers were steadily declining now that the four of them were there and it wasn't such a mad dash for survival.

Later on Shichiroji wouldn't really be able to explain it, but he suddenly knew without a doubt that something horrible was about to happen. The hair on his arms stood up and there was an odd ringing in his ears. His eyes turned toward Ukyo and everything was bright and clear and slow. Ukyo was still screaming, but Shichiroji couldn't hear him anymore. Kambei was a blur in white, streaking toward the panicking emperor. His sword cut through Ukyo like butter, his shrieking replaced by blood bubbling up and out of his mouth. He fell backwards in a graceful arc, his long hair drifting in front of his face and one pale hand reaching out ineffectually toward Kambei.

It seemed like there should be stillness and silence after such a moment, but the battle raged on around them. Only Kambei was motionless as he stared down at the fallen ruler, blood dripping from his blade. Shichiroji cut into another opponent but his eyes immediately sought out Kambei's figure again, unsure exactly why. Then he saw the gunman, aim set on the back of his old friend.

"Kambei!"

He turned at the sound of Shichiroji's voice, his sword coming up and blocking the shot. Kambei sent him a grateful look, which Shichiroji tried to smirk at, but found he couldn't. The uneasy feeling was still there, eating away at him.

Kambei never saw the second gunman, and Shichiroji only saw him when it was already too late.

Then Kyuzo was there. Appearing out of nowhere between Kambei and the shooter. His body bowed forward as the bullet tore through him. Shichiroji saw Heihachi take out the gunman from the periphery of his vision, but his focus was on the two other samurai.

And just like that the clarity was gone and everything was a mess of sound and action again. Kyuzo was collapsing, Kambei was grabbing at him, Heihachi was taking down the remaining guards and Shichiroji was racing toward his friend. _Friend__**s. **_

He slid to a halt on his knees beside them, Kyuzo was blinking at the ceiling, his brow slightly furrowed as if he was confused as to how he got there. There was something so vulnerable about him right then that Shichiroji's breath hitched, his throat burning. Kambei was strangely silent, his hand on the bleeding wound in Kyuzo's stomach and his eyes wide.

"It's OK, it's OK," Shichiroji said, not sure if he was trying to convince Kyuzo, Kambei or himself of the words.

Shichiroji moved Kambei's hand to look at the wound, he expected him to put up a fight but his bloodstained gloved hand just slid out of the way with no resistance. Looking up at Kambei, he opened his mouth to try and snap the man out of his shock when he noticed the growing red spot tainting his white garb. Not quite comprehending what had happened, or maybe just not willing to acknowledge it, Shichiroji rolled Kyuzo over on his side. The blond was limp and only grunted slightly at the movement. Shichiroji stared at the exit wound blankly for a moment before looking slowly back up to Kambei.

Kambei blinked at him once before his eyes slid out of focus and he collapsed.


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 24**

They could hear the battle well before they reached the scene. Clanging metal, gunfire and Ukyo's demented shrieking echoed down the hall towards them. Kyuzo hoped one of them would be able to reach the new emperor fairly quickly - he didn't want to have to listen to his screeching the entire time he was fighting.

As they moved closer, Kambei picked up his pace, placing himself in front of Kyuzo just before they reached the entrance to the bay where the battle was going on. Kyuzo narrowed his eyes as Kambei slowed, forcing the blond to stop or run into him. Turning his head back toward him, Kyuzo could make out a concerned look on his shadowed features.

"Your arm…"

"I can use the other," Kyuzo replied. Really, wasn't it obvious? He cocked an eyebrow at the disgruntled look that flashed over the older man's face. Did Kambei expect him to stay out of the fight because of his injuries? How ridiculous. Making sure to project as much exasperation into his gaze as he could, he pushed past Kambei.

He only got about two steps away before Kambei gripped his arm and spun him around. Prepared for an argument, Kyuzo was pleasantly surprised to find Kambei's lips pressed urgently to his instead. Before he could properly reciprocate, the other man had pulled back.

"Be careful," Kambei said, a soft serious look on his face as he seemed to study Kyuzo.

"I will if you will," he replied, well knowing that Kambei could be just as reckless.

A smile ghosted over Kambei's features and he nodded. "Fair enough."

Kambei folded Kyuzo's red coat and sat it, almost reverently, on the ground near the entrance. Kyuzo raised an eyebrow and pulled a single blade before unceremoniously tossing the useless one, still in its sheath, on top of the coat. He could feel the burning look of irritation Kambei was shooting him on his back and smirked, he'd known the man would bristle at the callous treatment of finely honed weapons, no matter who they belonged to.

They entered the chaos side by side. A ragged line of gunmen had their backs to them as the arced around the perimeter of about half the room, firing at two distinct areas. It didn't take a genius to know they were aiming for Heihachi and Shichiroji. Glancing at Kambei, he saw the man's mouth tighten in anger before he returned the glance and gave a small tilt of his head to the right, signaling where he'd attack from. Kyuzo nodded once and went to the left.

Keeping his injured arm tucked tightly to his side, he moved in quickly. The assault was fast and brutal - he ripped through anything in his way but mostly focused on the gunmen and drawing their attention to him and away from Heihachi, who was on his side of the room.

He felt a little… unbalanced. It had been a long time since he'd fought with a single arm. The injured one wasn't too much of a hindrance - with his focus on the battle, he barely noticed the ache - but he felt half as effectual, like he could, and should, be doing more. Despite the feeling he wasn't working quickly enough, his opponents fell around him, leaving him disgusted in their lack of ability.

Suddenly, the hall fell silent, leaving him blinking in confusion for a second. Then he realized it was just Ukyo's wailing that had stopped, he'd just managed to shuffle it out of his focus to a background sound and it was oddly quiet now that it was gone. Looking over his shoulder he saw Kambei standing over the body of the emperor. A wave of heat barreled through him as he took in his tall, proud figure, powerful and striking as he towered over his conquest.

Then he saw the gunmen. One to Kambei's left and the other to his back. Kyuzo was already moving when he heard Shichiroji's shouted warning but knew the man was only aware of the one, as Kambei's body was blocking his view of the other. The one to his left must have been injured because he was on the ground, but was still strong enough to lift the gun. There was no way he'd be able to get to the man in time to finish him off before he could fire so he sprinted toward Kambei instead.

This was his fault. The man was on _his_ side. One of the opponents he'd been responsible for taking out. He'd moved on without being sure he'd made the kill. Not to mention that if he hadn't let himself be injured earlier, he would have been using both his swords, taking out more enemies, putting the others at less risk. Putting _Kambei_ at less risk.

Kyuzo watched as Kambei spun and blocked the shot fired from the man behind him, completely unaware of the dying man aiming at him. With one last burst of speed Kyuzo managed to place himself between them just as the shot was fired.

He felt the bullet enter him, it didn't really hurt, the force caused him to bend forward but there was just a kind of strange tugging sensation in his stomach. All he really felt was relief. He'd made it in time.

But then there _was_ pain. In his back.

His eyes widened immediately knowing what that meant. His shielding hadn't been enough to stop the bullet. It had gone right through him.

And Kambei was directly behind him.

Kyuzo tried to turn toward him, not wanting to see the outcome but needing to just the same. But as soon as he started to twist, the pain made itself know in a whole new way. His breath locked in his chest as his vision whited out and his knees buckled. Everything was fuzzy and tilting and not making any kind of sense. He furrowed his brows, trying to remember why he felt so anxious, but his mind seemed to stall on the unnatural way he could feel his organs sliding together. Everything was blurry and spinning and confusing. He tried to focus, he knew there was something he was missing, something important, but it seemed to slip further away the more he reached for it. Just before the darkness claimed him, he remembered.

_Kambei…_

But it was too late.

* * *

Kambei watched Ukyo fall with no expression. He'd just assassinated the emperor - it was kind of a monumental moment. But he felt no sense of accomplishment, took no joy in the man's death, there was nothing but a kind of weary relief. Saving people, fighting for those who couldn't fight for themselves was important to him, it always had been and he suspected it always would be. But he was so tired. He didn't think he'd ever be the kind of man that could just settle somewhere and own a business or work a regular job, but was it too much to ask to have a reprieve? Just a small stretch of time where the ghosts of the past weren't chasing him, where blood wasn't covering his hands, where the weight of the lives of others wasn't resting on his shoulders? And he'd finally found the person that could chase all that away, that could make him feel alive and free like he'd never felt before. Could he just take Kyuzo and go now? Just have a moment were they could enjoy each other without the rest of the world snarling for a piece of them outside the door? He sighed, the feeling of the blade in his hand heavy and foreign for a brief second. Shichiroji's shout snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts and drawing him back to the battle. His instincts immediately picked up on the threat and a quick flick of his eyes told him where Shichiroji was looking. Spinning, he focused his ki into his sword, and just as the shot was fired he managed to deflect the bullet. Seeing Heihachi was taking care of the shooter, he tossed Shichiroji a grateful look.

His instincts were still tingling though and he cast a wary eye around him. Then he heard the second shot. His eyes widened and he spun, fully expecting to feel the bite of a bullet any second. What he did _not_ expect was to see Kyuzo's back; or the way his body buckled forward; or how the blond's usually sure grip went slack around his sword handle, causing it to drop to the floor with a muted clang. The painful pinch in his stomach registered but its significance was trampled by his panic as Kyuzo started to crumple to the ground. He lunged forward without thought - grabbing Kyuzo's biceps to steady him before he remembered Kyuzo's left arm was injured. But Kyuzo didn't flinch, didn't hiss, didn't give any kind of acknowledgment that Kambei's grip was painful, just continued his downward decent.

The pain was noticeable now, and even his increasing panic wasn't enough to keep it at bay. His stomach muscles contracted painfully as he tried to ease Kyuzo to the floor and he found himself dropping to his knees next to him more out of necessity than choice.

The hole in Kyuzo's shirt wasn't that noticeable, nor was the blood soaking the black fabric, what _was_ clear was the red that covered the previously white palm of Kambei's glove where he'd placed it over the small hole. He stared at it blankly for a moment before hurriedly replacing it. The pain was making it hard to concentrate, but he knew he needed to keep pressure on the wound. Kyuzo's wound. Kyuzo was hurt. He blinked and was alarmed at how hard it was to open his eyes again.

_Going into shock…_

The words were whisper quiet in his mind - both making sense and no-sense at the same time. Suddenly there was another hand there, pushing his out of the way. He watched that hand in confusion, not sure where it had come from or what it was doing. What had he been doing? A pair of familiar blue eyes came into focus right in front of him.

_Shichiroji…_

His face was pale and his eyes were wide, making their blue color stand out even more vibrantly. They flicked down for a moment before meeting his again, seemingly even wider than before. Kambei could see the emotions writhing there and he focused on them. Some part of him felt like he needed them to tether him here, that he'd just drift away without something to ground him. Panic was there, sadness too, and fear. All things he didn't like his friend feeling. The words of comfort were welling up inside him, but before he could get them out, the world slid out of focus and despite his efforts to stay grounded, Kambei felt the world float away.

* * *

"Heihachi!" Shichiroji yelled. _Yelled_, not _screamed_. Only girls screamed in panic, not manly men like himself. Nope, no panic here. He looked back and forth between the two collapsed samurai - Kyuzo on his side, bleeding front to back and now unconscious, and Kambei, laying on his back, the blood soaking his front made all the more alarming in contrast to his white clothing as he drifted in and out consciousness.

OK, so maybe there was a little panic.

Heihachi was there almost immediately. The short samurai's presence was a surprising relief. He wasn't alone, he didn't have to fix this all by himself. Heihachi was here too.

"Status," Shichiroji asked, coming back to himself.

"Area's clear. For now at least," Heihachi said, softly. "What happened here?"

"Bullet went though Kyuzo and hit Kambei," he said, his voice surprisingly steady. "Here, apply pressure while I check on Kambei." Scooting away from Kyuzo, he made room for Heihachi, who had reached into the bag at his side and pulled out three thick pads of gauze. He tossed one to Shichiroji before kneeling next to Kyuzo and pressing one to his stomach and one to his back.

Shichiroji wasted no time moving over to Kambei, who was now trying, and failing, to sit up. He knew better than to get his hopes up at the action, he'd seen him do this many times over the years they were together in the Great War. It was just some amazing samurai instinct of Kambei's to keep moving when he was in hostile territory, no matter what condition he was in. It was simultaneously impressive and infuriating.

Placing a firm hand on his friends shoulder, he pressed him back toward the ground, not wanting him moving and making things worse.

_Yeah, because this could get _worse_…_

"Stay down for a minute, dammit," he said gruffly. When Kambei tried to get up again, Shichiroji pressed the pad down hard on the bullet wound, causing Kambei to gasp and flop back down on the ground. Shrugging at the hazy venomous look Kambei shot him, Shichiroji felt both guilty and justified with his hard handed technique. The man just didn't know when to stop! Shichiroji was well aware that they needed to get out of there, but if he didn't get the bleeding to at least slow down some, Kambei wouldn't even make it to the ship.

_My, my, aren't you feeling optimistic…_

Shichiroji snarled at his inner voice's mocking and blocked out the ugly truth of the situation. He wouldn't - _couldn't_ think about how bad this was and how much worse it was likely to get. Dammit, he _couldn't-_

Shaking his head, he gritted his teeth and ignored the way his vision was slightly distorted and watery while continuing to press down on the wound. Taking a deep steadying breath to prevent his voice from shaking he called over to Heihachi.

"How's he doing?"

When he only got silence as an answer he glanced over and felt his tumultuous grip on his calm slip away. Heihachi shook his head and looked back with an expression of hopelessness that seemed so out of place on his normally jovial face that Shichiroji felt his throat close up.

_Fuck, fuck, FUCK!_

The hand not holding the gauze to Kambei's stomach ran over his face, shaking in a way it hadn't since he was a kid.

"We have to get out of here. We don't know if they called for reinforcements," he said, making the decision.

"Moving him… I don't think…" Heihachi stopped abruptly, the words seemingly locking in his throat - refusing to be acknowledged out loud.

"…we don't have a choice," Shichiroji said softly. "He'll die here just as surely."

The burning sensation that had been threatening behind his eyes came back full force as he said the words they both knew to be true. Something was breaking inside of him. There in that ship, with his best and oldest friend's blood coating his hands and the one person that might make that friend happy dying feet away. He'd seen a lot of horrible things, _done_ a lot of horrible things; things that were probably far worse than this moment, but somehow they just _weren't._ Maybe because this war had been so different, almost… _pure_. They were truly doing something good there and _this_ was how it was going to end? How was that fair? How many lives had Kambei saved over the years? Yes, his hands were coated in blood, but his heart was true and righteous. Kambei was one of the few people that Shichiroji could honestly say he was a better man for having known him. The _world_ was a better place for his presence. And Kyuzo… How long had Kyuzo been trapped in the dark? With nothing and no one? Did he find his way into the light just to have it end before he got to enjoy it? Before he could see how good life could really be? That wasn't- It couldn't- FUCK!

"Shichiroji…"

Heihachi's quiet questioning voice pulled him back to himself and he realized with a start that he was dangerously close to breaking down - his chest was tight with hitching breaths, his throat burned and his vision was blurry. Shit… He needed to get it together.

"OK…" Taking another deep breath, he looked back at Heihachi, avoiding that hopeless look on his face, he nodded toward Kyuzo. "You'll need to carry him."

Heihachi's eyebrows rose in disbelief. "Dude, I can't take pressure off these wounds or he'll bleed out. How am I supposed to do that _and _carry him?"

Shichiroji stared at Kyuzo a moment, his mind turning over option after option. Finally, he nodded and grabbed Kambei's hand and placed it over the wound, removing his own and then placing it on top.

"Kambei," he said firmly. When he didn't get any response, he grabbed Kambei's chin with his hand and tilted toward him, repeating his name a little louder while looking him in the eye. When he saw the flicker of recognition and awareness he pressed down on the wound a little and said slowly, "Pressure, Kambei. Keep pressure on it. I'll be right back."

After a few beats, Kambei nodded slightly and Shichiroji felt the hand under his press on the wound. Nodding his approval, he hurried to Heihachi and Kyuzo. He swallowed heavily seeing how pale Kyuzo was and the amount of blood covering the ground around him and Heihachi.

"The only way I can think to do this is by you carrying him over your shoulder," he said, sliding over to Kyuzo's side, opposite Heihachi. "That way your shoulder is holding the pressure on his stomach and your arms are free to put pressure on the back."

"Carrying him like that could cause more damage," Heihachi said , his brow furrowed in concern.

"Once again, I don't think we have any other choice," Shichiroji said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Heihachi nodded with a sigh, "Alright, lets do this."

"Watch his arm," a deep rasp came from behind him. Both snapped their attention around to see Kambei, eyes still unfocused, but face drawn in worry as he watched them. "Hurt it earlier," he continued, a slight slur to his words as he blinked heavily at them.

"We'll be careful, Kambei," Heihachi assured him softly, his breath catching.

Heihachi slid forward and shifted so he was on one knee. Together he and Shichiroji pulled Kyuzo up into a sitting position and then hoisted him slowly over Heihachi's shoulder, making sure that the bullet wound in his stomach was pressed tightly as he lay draped over the shorter samurai. Keeping one steadying hand on Kyuzo's hip, he used the other to keep pressure on the exit wound on his back, then stood slowly, Shichiroji helping out so Kyuzo wouldn't be jostled much.

"I'll be right behind you with Kambei," Shichiroji said as Heihachi started out of the shuttle hangar.

Moving back over to his friend, who was still watching Heihachi leave with Kyuzo, he knelt down and placed his hand overtop Kambei's - he was pleased to find that he'd kept pressure on the wound pretty well.

"How ya doin', Kambei?"

"Better," he answered, his eyes still following the others. And while Shichiroji could see that, yes, his focus did seem to be better, his face was taking on an unhealthy ashen tone, he'd broken out in a cold sweat and his breathing was shaky and uneven. Not encouraging signs. Suddenly, Kambei's eyes shot to his, narrowing slightly.

"You're not carrying me," he said bluntly.

Shichiroji barked out a laugh, it sounded rough and not really amused, but it did lighten the atmosphere a little.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he said. Then continued in a faux under-his-breath tone, "Like I could anyway. Must have gained fifteen rice pounds since we went to Kanna. Fat ass."

"Lies," Kambei slurred with a slight grin.

Shichiroji's smile slid off his face, the seriousness of the situation unable to ignored for more than a few fleeting moments.

"OK, let's go, Kambei," he said, shuffling forward on his knees and sliding one hand behind Kambei's back while leaving the other over the wound, ensuring the pressure didn't lessen. Kambei wasn't really much help when it came to actually getting to his feet and by the time they managed, he was shaking and already leaning most of his weight on Shichiroji. But he was up and slowly but steadily, they moved toward the exit.

Shichiroji's arm was wrapped around Kambei's back and Kambei's arm was around his shoulders, his feet dragging and his fingers digging almost painfully into Shichiroji's arm. But Shichiroji didn't complain; not at the harsh grip on his shoulder, not at the slow place, not when he was more or less carrying/dragging Kambei, not even when Kambei threw up on his shoes. His thigh was throbbing and he could feel the blood soaking his pants from the bullet graze, but he ignored it - pushed it to the back of his mind as he concentrated on Kambei's every breath and navigating the debris strewn dark halls.

It seemed like they'd been walking for forever and a day when they finally came to where Shichiroji had left their ship. Kambei had long since stopped being much help, his feet mostly just being dragged along by Shichiroji's pace. His head was bobbing limply to the side, but his eyes were still open, albeit just barely, and his hand was still there under Shichiroji's, keeping pressure on his wound.

Climbing into the ship was going to be interesting. Shichiroji just stopped for a second and panted as a task that was usually so easy it wasn't given a second thought became an almost insurmountable obstruction. The evening air had cooled considerably and he shivered as the sandy breeze brushed against his blood-soaked leg and hand. Kambei didn't so much as acknowledge the chill in the air though, even though his entire front was covered in blood. His body just didn't have the energy to spare for things like shivering any more, focusing instead on keeping his vital processes going: breathing, heartbeat and organ function. With the sense of urgency nagging at him, Shichiroji gritted his teeth and tackled the problem of getting Kambei into the ship. After a few long minutes of grunting and straining, a few pained moans from Kambei and banging his shin hard enough to bring tears to his eyes, Shichiroji finally stumbled to the seating area breathing hard and sweating insanely.

"I wanted to help, but…" Heihachi said with a small humorless smile and a shrug. He was sitting in the back with Kyuzo sprawled out on his side next to him. The blond half laying across his lap as he continued to press on the bullet wounds. Heihachi's left arm and side were soaked in blood from having Kyuzo on his shoulder, and his left arm was soaked up to the elbow from the back wound. In all honesty, and Shichiroji hated himself for thinking it, he was honestly surprised to see the hitching rise and fall of Kyuzo's chest.

"Yeah, well, it wouldn't have been so bad if fatty here would lay off the damned rice balls," he said with fake venom as he dragged himself and Kambei into the front seat. He gently lowered Kambei to the seat and then all but collapsed next to him. Kambei's breathing was a harsh rasp in his ear but he was pleased to note that the blood under and around his hand was sticky and drying, not pouring out fresh like earlier. On the other hand, it could just be that Kambei's blood volume was so low there simply wasn't enough to continue to leak out as it had.

Shaking his head, Shichiroji focused on starting the ship and getting them the hell out of there. Doing so one handed wasn't exactly easy, but he managed. Once they were away from the remains of the Capital and he'd navigated out of the still smoking debris laying about, he kicked the speed up to almost suicidal levels. Glancing over to check on Kambei, he was surprised to see the man looking right back at him. His grey eyes looked black in the in the low light as they stared at him from under mostly closed lids. Long strands of hair were stuck to his sweaty brow and Shichiroji had the irrational urge to push them back. As if reading his mind, Kambei smiled softly, causing Shichiroji's chest to tighten.

"Thank you," Kambei's words were so soft they were almost lost in the rushing wind, but Shichiroji caught them.

"For what? Dragging you're heavy ass out of there? Like you haven't done the same for me before," he said, trying to keep the mood casual. He didn't like where this conversation was going - the finality in its undertone.

"Not what I mean… you know it…"

It was on the tip of his tongue to make another smart ass remark, but found he couldn't when he made the mistake of glancing at Kambei again and the saw the soft sincere look in his eyes. Instead, he just nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

"Love you… family," he said, his words slurring. Then his face lit up in a large genuine smile. "Annoying little brother."

And that was when Shichiroji broke. No matter how hard he clenched his teeth together or how hard he gripped the steering column, he wasn't able to stop the ragged sob that ripped free from his chest. Because that's exactly how he'd always thought of Kambei deep down. Like an older brother. No matter what they disagreed on, whether they fought or yelled, there was always that undercurrent of a kind of familial bond that tied them together and drew them back to each other no matter what harsh words where exchanged. He always knew that Kambei was looking out for him, watching over him both in battle and in life, making sure he was safe. And he always did feel safe with Kambei.

He'd failed miserably at returning the favor.

Another sob escaped, so violent that he felt his ribs would break from the force. Tears blurred his vision, which was highly dangerous at these speeds, and he blinked rapidly trying to clear them as he didn't have a free hand to wipe them away.

A large calloused hand settled on top of his head, patting it clumsily before letting drop to rest on the back of his neck. Kambei must have lost his blood soaked glove somewhere along the way because Shichiroji could feel the coolness of his fingers as he squeezed slightly.

"Stop crying… like a… little girl," Kambei muttered causing Shichiroji to bark out a surprised laugh.

Kambei's hand loosened and slowly slid away as the rest of him went limp, his head coming to rest against Shichiroji's shoulder. And despite Kambei's request, the tears wouldn't stop.

* * *

Kyuzo had the vague notion that he was moving, but the how and why evaded him. He shrugged it off as unimportant. There was something else that demanded his attention. Although, he couldn't quite place what that might be…

Casting his mind back, he tried to track down that evasively important _something_ he was missing.

_Explosions…_

_Tessai…_

_Dangling…_

_Kambei…_

_Kambei… _

_Kambei…_

_What else…_

_Ah, a battle…_

_Gunsh- oh._

He'd been shot. While attempting to protect Kambei. Which he was pretty sure he failed at.

Was this it? Was he dying? How ironic. All these years he'd fought and fought, seemingly balanced on the edge of a knife, one wrong move and it would all be over. And he'd never cared. Not once. He fought as hard as he could, did as well as his considerable skills allowed and he lived time after time, but he it was only a desire to do his best that kept him breathing not any kind of value on his life . It probably wasn't even _his _desire_,_ just another motion so deeply ingrained in him that he couldn't tell the difference.

But now he _wanted_ to live. He'd found something, some_one_, that made seeing the next day important. So after a lifetime of indifference, he'd finally found the will to live only to die.

_Well… Fuck that. _

As the darkness crept in around the edges of his awareness, beckoning to him with promises of peace and painlessness, he fought it off. Determined to stay, to not give in, to not give up what he'd waited his whole life to find.

But it was strong and determined, and while he was equally as determined, he was slipping in the strength department. The pain was rubbing out his concentration and focus with harsh fiery fingers. Making him forget at times why he was fighting at all as the darkness crept in from the sides. Then he'd remember and push back, but it was one step for him against every two for oblivion.

_Please… please… I just want to see him again…_

He wasn't sure who he was asking or if he actually expected an answer, but the desperation clutching his heart made the reasoning irrelevant. He begged, cried, pleaded, threatened and screamed, but there was no answer as he slipped away.


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer:

I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.

**Chapter 25**

The rain fell over the quiet village in heavy sheets, the dark clouds casting the afternoon into premature twilight and suiting the subdued mood of the inhabitants perfectly. Things had been quiet and serious for three days now - the celebrating of their victory cut to a swift end when the samurai had returned and the price for their freedom was known to all.

Today had been the first day that Shichiroji had ventured out of the samurai's sleeping quarters since their return. Katsushiro, Kirara, Gorobei and Kikuchiyo had all tried coaxing him out but he'd refused. Heihachi had spent a great deal of time with him during those three days, he'd wander in looking pale and drawn and just stay for a while. No questions or pity or words of comfort, he'd just plop down, sometimes just for a few minutes, other times for most of the day or night. Shichiroji understood, Heihachi had a mind that never stopped, he couldn't lapse into the blank spaces like Shichiroji could, so he'd go and find something to occupy his thoughts for a while.

It had been Heihachi that had finally convinced him to leave the confines of the hut before he lost his sanity. Quietly pointing out that he'd end up taking out his anger on the villagers soon if he continued to stew in there. His insight was once again impressive and Shichiroji wondered if the younger samurai felt the same as he did - irrationally angry and bitter toward the villagers even though he knew intellectually that they couldn't be blamed for what had happened.

Conceding that the dismal interior of the hut was only exacerbating his foul mood and dark thoughts, he'd set off across the village, intent on getting something to eat. He'd had to admit, the fresh moist air and the wash of cold rain had been refreshing at first. But then he had run into Katsushiro and Kirara while getting his food and their earnest smiles at seeing him out and about had pissed him off. He'd ignored their attempts at conversation and when a few other villagers had wandered in, he'd left - unable to trust his increasingly short temper around them.

Now as he stepped back out into the pouring rain, a sense of anxiousness pervaded his senses. Turning back toward the samurai's sleeping quarters, he strode quickly down the waterlogged path, small plumes of water splashing up from the puddles he tread through, his gait heavier than normal.

What if something had happened while he was gone?

What if they woke and he wasn't there?

What if they…

He shook his head violently, not willing to entertain that thought. It had persistently invaded his thoughts again and again over the last few days, but he'd managed to continue to push it away. But the more time that passed, the harder it was to ignore that pessimistic little voice.

When they'd left the Capital, he'd taken them straight to the Shikimoribito, thinking they'd be able to help. While he'd been right about the 'able', he hadn't thought about the 'willing' part. Between Kyuzo's threatening actions the last time he'd been there and the news they'd just received about the downfall of the Capital, the Shikimoribito been opposed to lending any assistance - not willing to risk any negative attention in this unstable political time. If whoever came to power next was sympathetic with Ukyo, the revelation that the Guardians had helped his assassins would be disastrous for them.

While Shichiroji had understood their point of view on a rational logical level, it didn't stop the disbelief and rage from bubbling forth. Surprisingly, Heihachi was the one that flew off the handle first. Shichiroji had momentarily been shocked out of his own anger at the image of Heihachi, blood soaked and furious drawing his sword and advancing on the Shikimoribito with killing intent. After much yelling (and threatening) the Shikimoribito had finally given in and agreed to treat the two samurai if they agreed to leave immediately afterwards. Relieved, Shichiroji had agreed, thinking that although moving Kambei and Kyuzo could possibly be detrimental to their recovery, it was better than them dying then and there while they argued.

In the end, it hadn't really mattered. The damage done was extensive, and even after repairing it, hope for recovery was low. Of course, Shichiroji had regretted his agreement to take the two injured samurai and leave then, knowing there would be nothing he or Heihachi could do should they take a downward turn. Heihachi had suggested finding Ayamaro and using him to find suitable medical care. Kyuzo had saved the man's life after all, it was the least he could do. But the Shikimoribito insisted there was nothing more _anyone_ could do, they needed quiet and rest, only time and their will to live would determine their fate at that point.

Unwilling to take the risk of staying in the city, they'd made the decision to go back to Kanna. So far there'd been no change. At first, Shichiroji was grateful, worried that moving them as they had would cause some kind of relapse, he was relieved when it caused no harm. But as the days wore on, the lack of improvement was weighing more heavily on his heart and hope was slipping away.

Rounding a corner, he saw Heihachi leaning against the outside of the hut and cocked his head to the side in confusion. The only reason he'd left was because Heihachi had promised to stay and watch over the two unconscious samurai himself. It wasn't that he didn't trust the others, it was just that he knew Heihachi also felt the same protectiveness over them that Shichiroji did. They'd been through hell together and he felt strongly bonded to the short samurai now.

_Maybe there's no reason for him to be in there anymore. No one to watch over…_

The thought made his breath stutter and his steps stall. But the relaxed slouch of Heihachi's body and the slightly amused look on his face assured him that wasn't the case. As he got closer, he could hear a low echoing voice coming from inside. He leaned against the outside wall next to Heihachi, uncaring of the water that soaked him as he listened.

"-and then Katsushiro turned bright red and started to chase him, but he tripped over Komachi and pulled his stitches! Kirara yelled at him for an hour!"

Heihachi snorted softly next to him and he couldn't help the small smirk that crept onto his own features. This wasn't a rare occurrence, Kikuchiyo had come by numerous times and just sat and talked to the injured samurai, claiming they might be able to hear him and "might" was good enough for him. Shichiroji didn't say anything about it, but he also didn't admit that sometimes he did the same thing. His was for a more selfish reason though, talking to Kambei simply made him feel better whether his old friend could hear his words or not.

"…we should have been there," he heard Kikuchiyo continue after a brief stretch of silence. His words were quieter now, the previous good humor swallowed by sadness and guilt. "We saw the smoke, you know. It was pretty far away, but we could still see it. I wanted to go… But Gorobei and Katsushiro said it could be a diversion. I should have went anyway…"

"Then you would have been disobeying my orders."

Shichiroji and Heihachi's heads snapped up at the gritty quiet voice.

"K-Kambei!"

Both the soaking wet samurai lunged for the door at the same time, almost getting wedged there in the process before stumbling hastily into the dim interior.

"Kikuchiyo. A little space please," Kambei muttered from his prone position where Kikuchiyo was hovering directly over him.

"You're awake! Are you okay? Do you need-"

"He needs you to get out of his face before you smother him," Shichiroji snarled, jerking Kikuchiyo back.

Kambei's eyes were wide with surprise when Shichiroji met his gaze, "What's your problem?" He asked in bewilderment.

Shichiroji froze, his body locking down at the conflicting emotions as he tried to decide whether to cry or punch the bastard. Unable to pick one, he just sagged to his knees next to his friend, his chin dropping to his chest and his hands clenching as he tried to calm down.

"Shichiroji?" He heard his friends concerned voice, but didn't look up.

"Just… just give him a minute."

A surge of gratitude went through him at Heihachi's words, glad to have a second to regroup.

"Wh-what," a dry cough interrupted his question, causing him to shift in what Shichiroji assumed was pain. "What happened?"

"You went and got yourself shot! That's what happened! We all thought you were gonna die, you ass!" Kikuchiyo's loud voice echoed through the small room, causing Shichiroji to flinch both from the volume and the memory of Kambei's limp blood drenched figure the blunt statement brought forth.

"Kikuchiyo, why don't you go get Kambei some water and something to eat?" Heihachi's request was said calmly, but Shichiroji could hear the underlying intensity. Apparently, Kikuchiyo did as well, because he clamored out of the hut with only a few muttered complaints.

Finally feeling his wild emotions simmer down into something more manageable, Shichiroji looked up to see Kambei staring directly at him with confused furrowed brows. He shook his head and wasn't able to stop the wide grin that spread across his face.

"Damn, it's good to see you awake…"

Heihachi laughed slightly, "Yeah, you've been out for three days. This one," he nodded in Shichiroji's direction, "was like a rabid momma bear. If you'd taken any longer to wake up, I think he would have started foaming at the mouth."

Shichiroji narrowed his eyes in mock offense, his levity coming back with his relief. "Like you can talk, Mr. Angsty Woodsman," he fired back, causing a light blush to spread over Heihachi's cheeks.

"Shot?"

Both their attention was drawn back to Kambei as he stared at the ceiling obviously trying to remember what had happened, one hand plucking at the blanket covering him and the other absently rubbing over his stomach where the healing wound lay under a swathe of bandages. Shichiroji could tell the exact moment when memory reasserted itself, Kambei fell completely still, even his breathing stopped.

Then he ratcheted up into a sitting position with a gasped, "Kyuzo!"

Shichiroji jumped forward and grabbed his shoulders, gently easing him back down as he panted in pain and looked around wildly, his hands gripping the soaked material of Shichiroji's shirt.

"He's right over there, calm down," he said, his voice soothing while inside the dread started to build again.

Kambei's head swung to the side, searching for the blond samurai. Heihachi sighed quietly and stepped aside, revealing Kyuzo's still form a few feet away. Kambei's eyes fell on him heavily and he stilled again, just watching, seemingly focusing on the rise and fall of the other man's chest. After a few minutes, he dragged his gaze back to Shichiroji, his face pale, his eyes somber and firm.

"What happened?"

Settling himself into a more comfortable seated position, he prepared to tell Kambei that Kyuzo might not wake up.

* * *

His head was pounding, his mouth was dry and his stomach was radiating out streaks of pain throughout his body, but none of that mattered as he waited on Shichiroji to fill in the blanks. But just as he opened his mouth, Kikuchiyo came in, followed by Gorobei, Kirara, and Katsushiro. He didn't miss the look of relief that flashed over his friends face at the interruption.

They piled in, all sporting large smiles and telling him how great it was that he was awake as Kikuchiyo boasted that it was him that had woken Kambei. Judging from their reactions, he guessed he must have been in bad shape for a while. It made him worry about Kyuzo's condition even more. As did the furtive glances of concern they all occasionally shot over at the blond samurai when they didn't think he was watching. Kambei was about to force Shichiroji back to the subject when he was distracted by water.

Glorious water…

It was lukewarm and Kirara would only let him take slow sips but it was the best thing Kambei had ever tasted. She also brought a bland soup, but after only about a quarter of the bowl, his stomach started shifting uneasily. She seemed to anticipate this though and just said she'd bring another bowl back in a couple hours to try again.

Eventually, they seemed to realize Kambei had questions and all but Shichiroji and Heihachi excused themselves with a multitude of well wishing and promises to visit later. His eyes felt heavy and his body was warm and comfortable despite the continued ach in his stomach, but he wasn't going to let himself fall asleep yet. According to Heihachi he'd already been out for three days, he wasn't going any longer without knowing Kyuzo's condition. He turned an expectant gaze on Shichiroji and waited.

Knowing what his friend wanted, Shichiroji sighed and began talking.

"Both of you had severe internal injuries," he started. "Kyuzo also had swelling around his spine from the exit wound, a mild concussion, a broken wrist and some muscle damage in his arm." Kambei closed his eyes at the news, his chest tightening. "All the damage has been repaired. The Shikimoribito were… less than hospitable, but they fixed the two of you up before booting us out."

"So he's fine then?" Kambei asked darkly, sensing Shichiroji wasn't telling him everything and wanting him to get to the point.

"No, not exactly. His injuries have been tended to as well as they could," he said haltingly. "There's nothing left they could do for him."

Kambei's eyes snapped open at that particular choice of words.

"But they said that about you, too," Heihachi added in quickly, seeing the panic on Kambei's face. "It's just a matter of giving him time and rest."

That only made him feel marginally better. He hadn't had a head injury or an exit wound.

"So, we just have to wait?" He asked, his voice tight with helplessness. This was his fault, he should have been paying more attention, noticed the shooter first. If he'd been more careful Kyuzo wouldn't have put himself in the path of that bullet. It ate at him that he'd caused this and couldn't do anything to remedy it.

"Yeah," Heihachi said quietly. "He's healing, though. And Kyuzo's strong."

There was a confidence in Heihachi's soft voice that eased his anxiety a little, but as he glanced over at Kyuzo, still and pale a few feet away, he felt a rush of fear. It had already been three days, how much longer could he live in that state?

It was finally over, they could rest now. Be free to enjoy each other. It couldn't end now, not like this.

* * *

First it was Kambei's snoring. Then, when that stopped, it was him and Shichiroji talking. Then Kikuchiyo showed up and clanged about and yelled for a while. Finally, just as Kyuzo decided he was going to kill someone no matter how much his body complained about the thought of moving, it went blissfully silent.

For about thirty seconds.

There was a grunt, followed by a shuffling sound then the smell of rain and incense and the warmth of another body very close. Kyuzo sighed tiredly in his mind as he felt his right hand wrapped in a larger one and gave up on his wish of going back to sleep.

"I'm sorry," Kambei's low voice came from above and to the side. Kyuzo pried his eyes open slowly, unable to get them past half-mast, and observed Kambei with slightly blurry vision. He was shirtless with only bright white bandages wrapped around his stomach. His head was bowed low, chin almost touching his chest, but Kyuzo could still see the dark shadows under the man's closed eyes. His hair was lank and dirty, his face an unhealthy ashen color and he'd lost weight. His posture was stiff and Kyuzo could tell by the rigid way he held himself and the tick in his jaw that he was in pain. Shaking his head slightly, he continued. "My incompetence as a leader, a protector and a lover is why you're here."

_Oh, for fucks sake. THIS is why I'm not sleeping? To hear Kambei's irrational guilt?_

"I'm going to kill you."

That probably wasn't the best reaction. But he was tired and unbelievably sore, his mouth tasted horrible, his throat ached, and due to Kambei's words had just remembered that it _wasn't_ Kambei's fault at all, it was his own. _He'd_ been the one that screwed up and left that guard alive. Kambei was hurt, in pain, and it was his doing.

Kambei's wide eyes snapped to his before he broke out in a wide grin as he leaned in closer.

"You're awake!"

"How can I sleep when you never stop talking?"

The genuine relief and delight on Kambei's face made Kyuzo uncomfortable but also dimmed his aggravation.

"You've slept enough," Kambei replied immediately, not looking at all put off by Kyuzo's surly mood. "How do you feel?"

Kyuzo cocked an eyebrow. "Like I got shot and almost had my arm torn off," he answered honestly. His left arm ached from fingertip to shoulder and his stomach was tender and uncomfortable, but his back was far worse - a steady pulsing agony that was centered low and radiated up to the base of his skull.

Kambei winced and looked down, the happiness on his face replaced with guilt again. Something uncomfortable twisted in Kyuzo's chest, making him want to do something to erase that look. It was very rare that he felt that he was wrong, and when he was, he didn't like to admit it. This time he had something to lose, something more important to him than his own life, making it even harder to admit his error. But despite his fear at the reaction Kambei may have at the revelation that he'd been shot because of Kyuzo's carelessness, Kyuzo knew he needed to tell the other man. It was unacceptable for him to blame himself for this situation.

"You're wrong. It wasn't your fault. It was mine."

Kambei looked at him in confusion, making Kyuzo wonder if he'd had understood his words - his throat was very dry, making his already low voice rough and almost indecipherable.

"If I'd been paying attention, you wouldn't have needed to intervene," Kambei said, shaking his head and looking apologetic.

"If I'd killed him properly, he wouldn't have been able to shoot at you."

Kambei opened his mouth to argue again and Kyuzo glared at him, not willing to let him take the blame.

"I suppose we both could have done things differently," he said at last. Kyuzo blinked, surprised at the other man's willingness to share the burden. A small smile crept on his face unbidden - maybe this was what it was like to share something with someone, to not be alone any longer. Neither of them needed to carry the whole burden any longer.

Kambei smiled back, soft and sincere. Then he leaned back slightly and fumbled behind him with the hand not gripping Kyuzo's, eventually pulling over the blanket from his own sleeping pallet. Kyuzo watched with a raised brow as the older man grunted and shuffled around until he finally settled himself on the floor next to Kyuzo.

"You're recovering as well. You shouldn't sleep on the floor."

"I'll sleep better right here," Kambei answered. And with his comforting warm presence pressed in beside him, Kyuzo couldn't find it in himself to argue.

They both had a long recovery in front of them. Not only because of the wounds sustained in this battle, but the ones accumulated over the years of being alone and unhappy. But together they'd fix each other. This was just the beginning.


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, am making no money from this and am doing this purely for enjoyment.

**Epilogue**

It was these warm summer nights that Shichiroji loved the best. When the humidity was so heavy it almost had physical weight and the fireflies floated languidly through the thick air. The sounds of laughter and music drifted out from inside Firefly House, surrounding him as he sat in the garden, idly plucking at his shamisen.

It had been four months since the samurai had parted ways in Kanna. All of them had opted to stay in the village while Kambei and Kyuzo had recuperated, worried that the two of them could be targets while the political situation settled. Of course, the two had scoffed that the idea they needed protected, but the fact of the matter was they were both a far cry from battle ready for quite a while - both of them hobbling around and stooped over like old men. And oh how that perceived show of weakness made them grumpy. Shichiroji was sure Kikuchiyo must have glimpsed the afterlife with as close as he came to being ended by Kyuzo's blade in those first few weeks. Even Kambei, who Shichiroji was sure Kyuzo's volatile temper had rubbed off on, had lost his shit and went after Gorobei once.

It had taken the remainder of the fall and the entire winter before Kambei and Kyuzo were fully recuperated. By that time their foul moods had tapered back but all of them were feeling a bit stir-crazy and were more than ready to leave the small village. Not that the villagers weren't wonderfully hospitable, but none of them were used to life in a farming village (save Kikychiyo, who'd left that life behind long ago) and were more than ready to leave.

They'd been receiving messages from Honoka, Mizuki and Yukino regularly, informing them of the political situation, and were pleased to learn that Ayamaro had reclaimed his seat as magistrate and had been working to build a better governing solution from the ground up. According to the sisters, the man was making many admirable changes and things were looking up. Shichiroji was less optimistic, Ayamaro may be feeling magnanimous now in light of recent events but who knew how long that would last. Despite his pessimism, he _was_ happy to learn that none of them were wanted fugitives any longer.

So with the first shoots of spring making their appearance, the samurai parted ways. The villagers held a grand celebration and pulled promises from each of them to visit again. Kikuchiyo, they all knew, would be by often. His attachment to Komachi assured that. But he also felt the pull to find his path as a samurai. He was finally what he had longed to be for years, but now he had to make peace with his new position in life.

While he looked toward something new, Gorobei, Shichiroji and Heihachi all looked forward to returning to their life of old. Gorobei planned to continue his life as an entertainer and Heihachi as a wanderer, searching for what Shichiroji figured to be redemption of some kind. At the time, Shichiroji couldn't fathom what someone as kindhearted as Heihachi could possible feel he needed forgiveness for. But over the last few months, Heihachi had popped up at Firefly House multiple times, much to Shichiroji's pleasure - he was glad their friendship seemed to be a lasting one - and over those visits, Heihachi had slowly revealed his past and, at least Shichiroji hoped, he was finding a level of peace.

Shichiroji had returned to Firefly House, and Yukino, wondering why he'd ever missed the stressful life as a samurai at all. That last battle at the Capital, coming so close to losing Kambei and Kyuzo, had made him appreciate the quiet life he'd built away from the fighting. But deep inside, he knew should another battle present itself, he'd never be able to say no.

Kambei and Kyuzo had disappeared into parts unknown together. Neither having a plan and seemingly unconcerned with that fact. Heihachi said that he'd come across them some distance to the south last month and both seemed healthy and relaxed, which Shichiroji was very glad to hear. He hadn't seen them since Kanna, and he'd been surprised and pleased to receive a message from Kambei that afternoon saying they'd be in town tomorrow. While he was happy with his peaceful life here, he did miss his old friend.

The scent of flowered perfume wrapped around him, pulling him from his thoughts as a pair of familiar hands ran over his back, up his shoulders and then down his chest, a warm curvy body pressing to his back.

"Here you are," a soft throaty voice murmured in his ear.

"Hmm," he answered, setting the shamisen to the side and reaching around to pull her into his lap.

Yukino gave a laugh as she gave in to being manhandled, landing on his crossed legs with a graceful slide of expensive silk. She looked radiant in the soft moonlight and he couldn't help himself from pulling the ornate pins from her hair, letting it cascade around her in a heavy fall of ebony. Her eyes slipped closed and her head tilted back as he combed his fingers through her thick locks.

"Do you know how long that takes to do?" She asked, her sleepy voice in contrast with her exasperated words. "I can't see customers like this."

"All part of my evil plan to keep you all to myself for the rest of the night," he grinned, curling his fingers in her hair and capturing her lips with his.

Shichiroji'd had many women. Many, many women. And, before Yukino, he always thought that he'd never be with one woman for long - that he needed that excitement that each new encounter brought. What he hadn't known then was when you found the right person that there was something better than the thrill of the new - the comfort of home. And he felt that all the way down to his soul when he was with her, a contentment and a feeling of "this is where I belong" that he'd never known a woman could cause.

Pulling back, she nuzzled the crook of his neck and they just sat together, enjoying the night air. He closed his eyes and buried his nose in her hair, marking this in his mind as one of those rare perfect moments.

It didn't take long before she started wiggling though, he'd known it was coming and smirked as she started mumbling about the silk making her sweat. Finally having had enough of the heavy kimono, she climbed off of his lap and tugged on his arm.

"Come to bed."

Smiling, he stood and scooped her up, enjoying the laughter it brought out of her. He had a beautiful woman, a place to call home and great friends, two of which would be arriving tomorrow. Life was good.

* * *

Kambei was in a good mood. They'd saved a small village to the south from bandits (of the regular human variety this time) a few days ago, they'd made excellent time to the city, the weather was great, he'd be seeing Shichiroji soon, and best of all, Kyuzo was at his side.

Glancing over at his companion, he could tell that while he was feeling rather glass-half-full at the moment, Kyuzo was not feeling so positive. They'd just been to the tailor that was supposed to have finished Kyuzo's replacement coat, as the one he'd had before was lost that day in the Capital. Unfortunately, there had been a delay in the arrival of the fabric and the garment wouldn't be finished until tomorrow.

They'd come across an amazing sword maker in the east just a few weeks after leaving Kanna that had been able to duplicate Kyuzo's remaining sword perfectly and make a sheath for the two blades similar to the one that had been left behind, but Kyuzo had been unhappy with any replacement coats they'd come across. He'd finally decided to just settle on a black one that was similar in cut but shorter than the red one had been, but vowed to have a new one made the next time they were in Kougakyo - even going so far as sending a messenger ahead with detailed instructions and measurements.

Kambei personally liked Kyuzo in head to toe black and the new shorter coat offered an unobstructed view of his assets that Kambei took every opportunity to appreciate. But judging by his brooding mood, there was more to it than just a comfortable garment. Maybe he missed the familiarity, the sense of identity it provided. Actually, the more he thought about it, Kambei wasn't sure if it provided more of a sense of "self" or if it acted as the opposite - a shield or mask. Something he slipped on to push away what was "Kyuzo" and made him only a soldier. Maybe without it he felt naked and vulnerable. Part of Kambei wanted to dig, to force it out of Kyuzo what the significance of the coat was - to refuse him his "crutch", if that's what it was. But, beside the fact that telling Kyuzo "no" would be tantamount to asking to be skewered, he knew it was better to take small steps.

He'd had to make that decision many times over the last few months - whether to force a subject or to let it go and tackle a smaller issue. He'd gotten rather good at picking apart what psychological damage was lurking under Kyuzo's apathetic exterior. It bothered him, not being able to rush in and repair him immediately the way he wanted to, but he knew it didn't work like that. You couldn't undo a lifetime of psychological and emotional damage in a few short months. But they _were_ making progress, of that he was sure. For the most part, Kyuzo probably seemed, to an outside observer, much the same as he always had. But Kambei could tell that harsh edges of his personality had softened, sharp edges worn down and less jagged.

Deciding to try and distract Kyuzo from his annoyance before they reached Shichiroji's, he reached his right hand out and slipped it into the blonds left - smirking internally as the shorter samurai's strides paused as he glanced down at the gloved hand in his own.

"What are you doing?" He asked blankly, shaking his hand a bit.

Kambei held on though and answered lightly, "Holding your hand."

Kyuzo continued trying to shake off Kambei's hold, slowing his pace as he concentrated on the gloved grip.

"That is obvious. And… unnecessary," he answered dryly.

Kambei fought back his laughter and kept his face nonchalantly innocent.

"Why? We're lovers. Lovers do things like hold hands," he answered, letting his gaze roam over the passing stalls as if he were eyeing the merchandise and not really paying attention to the conversation. He slowed his pace bit more, bringing them down to more of a sedate walk than the aggravated march of before, as he felt Kyuzo's hand still for a moment as he contemplated Kambei's reasoning. Glancing at the blond samurai, he barely held back a snort at the serious, thoughtful look on his face.

"I'm not familiar with that practice."

Though containing the laugh that threatened, he wasn't able to stop the wide grin that broke free. The statement was so bland yet innocent; completely Kyuzo.

"Does it bother you?" He asked curiously.

"Yes, actually," Kyuzo replied, trying to lazily pull his hand free again. "Your hand is moist."

"I'm wearing gloves," Kambei pointed out, squinting as they rounded a corner and the setting sun glared at him between two buildings.

"Then your glove is moist. You should remove them, it's very warm."

Releasing his grip, he removed the gloves and promptly grabbed Kyuzo's hand again.

"Better?"

"Your childish mood is tiresome. It must be Shichiroji's influence, already affecting you."

"How is it I get blamed for things when I'm not even around?" A bewildered voice asked from behind them.

Kambei turned, his smile widening as he caught sight of Shichiroji approaching with a matching grin, carrying a bag with fruit poking out of the top.

"He's been behind us for two blocks," Kyuzo said blankly, finally freeing himself from Kambei's grip and wiping his hand on his pants.

Kambei felt he did an admirable job of not looking embarrassed by his obvious lack of attention to his surroundings, but apparently he failed because Shichiroji laughed heartily at him before clapping him on the shoulder.

"Well, Kyuzo, maybe if you weren't so captivating he would have noticed me," Shichiroji pointed out teasingly.

Kyuzo shot him a withering glare, his face tinted a light shade of red Kambei wasn't sure could purely be attributed to the setting sun.

They caught up with Shichiroji on the walk to Firefly House, exchanging stories of what they'd been up to and what they'd heard, if anything, from the others. Kambei was glad to hear that Heihachi made regular visits to Firefly House and hoped they'd see him while they were there. They'd seen him a while back in the south but hadn't had much time to talk - a storm had been moving in and Heihachi had wanted to get to the next city before then. Kambei had understood all to well, the life of a wanderer was one he was very familiar with after all. Shichiroji also said he'd seen Gorobei performing his daring show a couple times in Kougakyo and that Kikuchiyo had actually stopped by Firefly house a few months ago. Kikuchiyo had carried the news that Kirara had given up her position as water priestess and left to travel with Katsushiro. Apparently, he'd come back to visit her after only being gone a month and she'd made the decision to join him. Kambei wasn't surprised, he'd sensed a restlessness in her those last few weeks before they'd all parted ways.

Soon they arrived at Firefly House and were ushered in by a welcoming Yukino. Kambei was still impressed that Shichiroji had managed to get (and keep) such a charming, beautiful woman. As the night wore on and he observed the dynamic between the two, the more impressed he was with her. She took no crap from him and her wit was quick and sharp, keeping his old friend on his toes. He was glad to see that Shichiroji had found someone that made him so happy.

The evening passed quickly - the food was delicious, the drinks kept coming and the company was great. Even Kyuzu cracked a smile a few times at Shichiroji's antics. It was very late (or actually early in the morning) when Yukino showed them their room. Shichiroji had winked at them lewdly and made a comment about making as much noise as they wanted, that that wing was empty of guests beside them at the moment, before his laugh was cut off by a cry of pain as Yukino dragged him away.

Kyuzo, seemingly unmoved by Shichiroji's vulgar comment roamed around the room curiously. But Kambei's mind had already been steadily heading down that path for the entire night and now that they were alone, he was focused on Kyuzo with a singular intent. He watched as the blond stopped by the window and pushed it open, filling the room with a warm summer breeze that ruffled his hair.

Unable to keep his hands to himself any longer, he stalked silently up behind the other man where he wrapped his arms around Kyuzo's waist and pressed a kiss to his temple before nuzzling his neck and absorbing that purely Kyuzo scent. Kyuzo melted into him, long gone were the days of being unsure about their physical relationship. Turning nimbly in his hold, Kyuzo stretched up and pressed his lips to Kambei's. Kambei left one hand resting on the sharp angle of Kyuzo's hip while the other brushed up the back of his neck and into his hair. The kiss was slow and sensual, a soft exploring lips and a light teasing of tongues.

He pulled back, letting his gaze roam over Kyuzo's face - flushed and panting softly, crimson eyes half-lidded, he made a decadent sight. Untangling his hand from the thick blond hair at the back of Kyuzo's head, he ran a thumb over his cheekbone before brushing it down over his lower lip, growling softly as Kyuzo nipped at it, before pulling him in for another kiss. While the last one had been soft and slow, this one was more intense, a battle of tongues and teeth as nimble hands plucked at clothing. Kyuzo's hands pressed under Kambei's shirt impatiently, roaming his stomach and chest as if he were memorizing the planes. Sucking in a sharp breath as a calloused thumb brushed over his nipple, Kambei retaliated by deftly flicking open the front of Kyuzo's pants and wrapping his fingers lightly around his length. Kyuzo's moaned softly and his long fingers ceased their exploration as they pressed into Kambei's skin. He gave three long slow pulls before stopping to let his thumb circle the head of his erection before removing his hand. Kyuzo growled lowly at the loss, his crimson eyes, pupils blown wide, stared back at him with a gaze so raw and wild Kambei couldn't stop himself from pulling him in for another kiss. His tongue traced every corner of Kyuzo's mouth as each of their hands went to work removing the layers between them, stopping only when shirts had to be pulled over their heads.

Both naked, Kambei pulled the lean samurai back toward him, relishing the feel of his warm silky skin pressed against him. His mouth wandered down, tracing the column of Kyuzo's throat and scraping his teeth lightly across his collarbone as he walked him backwards toward the futon. Pressing him down into the feathery depths, he continued his downward descent, stroking a flat nipple with his tongue as his hand wandered to the drawer of the bedside table - removing a familiar bottle bearing the symbol of a firefly.

Next he let his mouth wander over his lover's flat stomach, dipping his tongue into his navel before nipping lightly at the skin just below. He could tell by the quiver of Kyuzo's muscles that he had high expectations as to where Kambei was headed, and Kambei wasn't one to disappoint. Taking Kyuzo's length into his mouth in one quick swoop, he delighted in the whimper and stutter of breath as Kyuzo's body snapped taut.

While his mouth toyed with Kyuzo's length, dipping and sucking languidly while swirling his tongue, his hand pulled the top from the bottle and generously covered his fingers with the slick oil. Taking him deep in his mouth again, he slid a finger in his entrance, relishing the moan it produced. He continued his torturously slow assault on Kyuzo's body, holding his hips down when he got impatient and tried thrusting up into Kambei's mouth, and eventually adding another finger.

After a while, a distinct tightening and a change in Kyuzo's breathing alerted Kambei to his approaching climax. Pulling back, he let Kyuzo slide from his mouth, running his tongue once more along the underside with a long swipe before sitting back and adding a third finger to the slide and push at the blonds entrance. Kyuzo moaned and writhed, disappointed at the loss of Kambei's mouth and searching for release, he pressed greedily against his fingers.

Kambei watched in fascination as he pressed his fingers in again and again, deep and relentless, giving the writhing blond no reprieve. The transformation from battle hardened veteran to this passionate wanton creature never failed to enthrall him. He could tease the blond for hours and never get bored with watching his reactions, breaking him down into a shaking panting mess on the edge of madness before finally taking him.

Time ticked by and Kambei continued, absorbed in the sight before him and ignoring his own painfully hard erection. Kyuzo was lost in the search for release, broken pleas and nonsensical words falling from his mouth. Kambei had no doubt he enjoyed being on the receiving end of this torture as much as Kambei enjoyed doling it out though. For Kambei, it was a combination of seeing Kyuzo lose all reason, being open and vulnerable in a way that the rest of the world never saw and knowing he was the one that responsible for it. Having earned that trust and having that kind of power over someone like Kyuzo was a powerful aphrodisiac. For Kyuzo, it was the thrill of releasing that control, handing over the reins to someone else and letting himself be exposed like that.

Feeling Kyuzo's body tighten again, he reached over for the bottle, this time dousing his erection instead of his fingers. With a timing that he'd worked out to perfection, he removed his fingers and slid between Kyuzo's thighs, sheathing himself in the blond in one seamless move, his entrance the tipping point that brought Kyuzo arching off the bed as he came. Both moaned deeply, Kambei at the feeling of Kyzuo clamping down around his neglected length and Kyuzo at finally finding release.

Kambei drank in the sight of the samurai beneath him - sprawled out with palms up and fingers slightly curled, glazed sated eyes staring at the ceiling but not really seeing anything, legs bent at the knee and open wide - he was the very picture of sexual satisfaction. Kambei loved it when he was like this, his body was pliant and relaxed after climax, allowing Kambei to penetrate him deeper and manipulate his body in ways that wasn't possible just before that first climax.

Pulling out almost lazily, he smirked as Kyuzo's eyes closed and his lips parted as his over sensitive body was stimulated again. Pushing back in, slow and deep, Kambei groaned, his own pleasure overriding his need to observe Kyuzo. He started off with an unhurried pace, enjoying the feel of being above and in Kyuzo, the feel of his sweat dampened skin, the thick futon under his knees and the gentle breeze that sporadically snuck through the open window.

Before long, Kyuzo was reaching for him, pulling him down for a kiss as he regained his senses and he started to swell again. Picking up the pace a little, Kambei pillaged his mouth, feeling Kyuzo start to meet his thrusts with equal vigor. Moving his mouth down to the sweat slicked skin of Kyuzo's chest, he dropped one hand down to one of Kyuzo's thighs, pushing him open wider and allowing him to slide further in. Both moaned raggedly at the sensation. Still holding him open, he used the other hand to pull Kyuzo's other leg from were it was wrapped around his waist, running his hand up the back of his thigh to his knee, he placed the long limb on his shoulder causing him to penetrate the smaller man at a whole new angle. Kyzuo's hands scrambled at the sheets and then at Kambei's shoulders as his voice choked out an animalistic sound of pleasure. Kambei _loved_ that sound and moved harder and faster in hopes of hearing it again. Kyuzo's body twisted underneath him, arching into his harshly before trying to pull away, so overcome with sensation he couldn't tell up from down.

Both came with a mix of choked off cries and deep moans, what sounds came from which man was impossible to tell. Kambei collapsed on Kyuzo, not caring about the sticky mess between them for the moment. He knew there was a private bath attached to this room and clean linens in the closet, all of that could wait. Dredging up a little energy, he rolled off the blond and tugged him over so he was laying across his chest, sweat dampened blond hair tickling his jaw and quick hot breaths rushing over his chest. Tightening his arms around Kyuzo briefly, he pressed a soft kiss to the top of his head.

"I love you."

The sleepy "hmm" he received in response was enough for him for now. Because even though Kyuzo wasn't sure what labels to put on what feelings, he knew what was in the blond's heart.

* * *

Kyuzo woke just as the sun was rising. Feeling far to comfortable to move from his position on Kambei's chest, he just laid there and watched the sky lighten through the window in their room, Kambei's breath shifting his hair and his heartbeat thumping steadily beneath his ear.

He knew that by now he should know this situation with the older samurai wasn't fleeting. Kambei wasn't going anywhere. But he still took every opportunity to soak in these moments like they could be ripped away at any time. Maybe it wasn't the healthiest way to live, but he figured it was better than taking for granted that he'd always be there only to wake up one day and he not be. _How_ it would be better exactly, he wasn't sure exactly. Thinking that the fact that he wasn't unprepared would make losing him any easier was laughable.

Shaking his head, he tried to push away those thoughts. This whole "relationship" between them was still infinitely confusing to him. Most of the time he just gave up on giving feelings and actions names or labels as it just frustrated him. Kambei, somehow sensing this, had told him it wasn't important - he felt how he felt and that's all he needed to be concerned with, why he felt that way or what he was feeling was called was secondary. It had been good advice and Kambei made it easier, seeing as he usually seemed to know what Kyuzo was feeling even when he himself did not. He was feeling a little more at ease with these new things everyday, but it was still frustrating on occasion.

Like whenever Kambei told him he "loved" him. He liked the way he felt after Kambei said those words - warm and needed - and he wanted Kambei to know his presence made him feel that way, that Kambei made him warm and that he needed him, but he wasn't sure if that was love. Just thinking about it turned him in circles and pissed him off. Was he feeling "loved" when Kambei said those words? Did a reversal of those feeling back on Kambei mean that he loved him as well?

_It's too early for this shit…_

Stealthily untangling himself from Kambei and silently climbing to his feet, he pulled a plain blue yukata from the closet and left the room in search of food. Following the tantalizing scent of a freshly prepared breakfast, Kyuzo was surprised when he came to the open door the smell was wafting out of to find Heihachi sitting at a low table with dozens of plates of different foods in front of him. The two of them stared at each other for a moment before Heihachi burst out laughing.

"Sorry!" He said waving a hand in front of him, but still laughing. "You in a yukata with bed head…"

Kyuzo cocked his head to side in bewilderment. Heihachi had seen him after just waking before, and what would be amusing about a robe was beyond Kyuzo.

Shaking his head as his laughter tapered of, Heihachi apologized again. "Sorry, sorry. Uh, how about you help me eat some of this? The girls in the kitchen get a little carried away," he said, gesturing to the food with one hand while rubbing the back of his head with the other.

Nodding in agreement, Kyuzo seated himself across from Heihachi and piled a large helping of many different choices in front of him. After eating for a few minutes in silence, Kyuzo turned his attention on his dining companion.

"You look well," he commented, watching Heihachi closely. There was something different about the other samurai.

"So do you. Wandering the country side with Kambei is going well, I take it?"

"Indeed. It is far more enjoyable to live than to just exist."

Blinking at the reminder of the advice he'd given Kyuzo, Heihachi smiled slightly and seemed to eye Kyuzo with the same intent Kyuzo'd bestowed on him a few minutes before.

"You seem different. More at ease," Heihachi said after a brief silence.

"As do you. Have you been following your own advice?"

Heihachi stared back at him for a moment, the light carefree façade that normally colored his features melted away leaving a slightly tired looking but relaxed young man staring back.

"I'm working on it."

Kyuzo nodded seriously, taking another bite before continuing. "You've forgiven yourself for your perceived transgressions of the past then?"

Heihachi gaped at him, "How-"

"We are friends, are we not? Friends notice such things, correct?" He asked feeling a little anxious after the words came out of his mouth - wondering both if that was indeed what they were and if so, if he'd crossed some boundary by bringing up Heihachi's guilt over some unknown event.

Heihachi looked surprised for a moment before breaking out into a wide smile.

"Yeah, Kyuzo. We are."

Kyuzo nodded again, not showing his relief on his face. He noticed that Heihachi didn't answer his question, but decided to leave it alone. Something he'd been thankful for many times when the position had been reversed and between him and Kambei.

Kyuzo and Heihachi were steadily working though the mounds of food when Kambei wandered in, looking scruffy and disheveled and wearing a yukata matching Kyuzo's - which Heihachi inexplicably started laughing over again. Soon Shichiroji joined them followed by the girls from the kitchen who removed the empty plates and replaced them with new heaping ones.

Looking around at the group at the table - Heihachi laughing at something Shichiroji said, Kambei looking amused but exasperated at his old friends antics, Shichiroji basking in the attention - something in him loosened. He wasn't sure what it was, and for once, he didn't care. He felt… good. As if sensing something new in Kyuzo, Kambei glanced over at him and tilted his head questioningly, then grabbed his hand and laced their fingers together. Kyuzo looked down at their entwined hands, then squeezed Kambei's slightly and smiled - a wide relieved smile that he didn't know was in him. Ignoring Kambei's stunned look, he popped a piece of fruit in his mouth.

_Hmm, I think maybe this _is_ love…_

Yes, things were much different now, and he couldn't be more grateful.

* * *

**Author's Note:** It's over! I can't believe it! When I started this, my idea of how it was going to go was much different. Eight or so chapters, little to no fluff and Kambei and Kyuzo were both supposed to die, as were Katsushiro and Gorobei. Obviously I turned into a big softie who talks too much, but I had lots of fun writing it.

I have no plans on a sequel for this story. I won't say it's impossible, but it is unlikely.

Finally, I just want to give a HUGE thank you to everyone for their amazing support for my very first fic! You all are really great and I can't tell you how much I appreciate your kindness. Hope everyone enjoyed A Distracting Change! Thanks for reading!


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